Stares that were pinned on them before now hastily turned away. Thael clenched his jaw. Even with his limited knowledge of the world, he knew that whatever The Sister had said was not good. To steal an entire pit of immortal fire… He couldn’t imagine anyone or anything that would be powerful enough.

“Stolen?”

“Yes, stolen. We do not know how, only that the fire has disappeared. Venture east to the Light Castle. Prince Dantell Light will be notified of your arrival.”

He sensed that The Sister was not done, yet Ivelis was already speaking again, “It still doesn’t explain why a person that lacks fire magic is going.”

Everyone looked to the witch.

Ah, the rest of the court had no information on this matter as well.

The Sister stood silently. Thael saw her hand tightened around the golden sceptre.

A Khiras.

On their way to the Council’s Room, Ivelis mentioned some magical beings could choose to channel a part of their magic into an object. Once done so, they would be bound to it for life. To their Khiras.

He marveled over The Sister’s.

It was as tall as her. Under the tip rested a large glass vessel—each panel shaped like inverted teardrops, curling in spirals around the staff. Through the transparent panels, he saw a diamond shining lightly. Silver vines curled around the Khiras until it reached its pointed end, a black pyramid with odd marks. He blinked several times when he saw them moved.

Sister Ultrid loosened her grip, caressing the sceptre.

“Well?” Ivelis persisted.

She gently waved her Khiras and the diamond started to pulse. Grey mist that poured from its tip cascaded down the sceptre, slithering onto the long table like a snake. The mysterious smoke turned darker and darker as it kept going. A cold atmosphere settled when it reached the end of the table.

The woman beside him silently watched as Sister Ultrid touched the smoke and it formed scenes matching her words, “Long ago, there was a very powerful High Priestess. We know her as Princess Raeth, the goddess who rules over the heavenly realm.” The mist showed a woman with a smile carved onto a sharp face. A crown of immortal fire sat atop her jet black hair, eyes burning as brightly as the flames with its rings of gold and green.

He wasn’t even sure if he was breathing.

“Princess Raeth, the Highest of The First Seaters gifted this realm an Artifact—a magical object that binded with others of its kind to keep this world from falling apart. After a brutal war against far realms, she took a portion of her immortal fire and left it to burn in the fire pit at Delta’s Peak. To bring light, to make sure they remember who she burned down. And why she did.”

Now, the dark mist turned bright. It changed into a blurry scene of Priestess Raeth placing white flames into a hole.

“Before The First Seaters turned into the new gods and goddesses we know today, they each dedicated an Artifact for their elements. Priestess Raeth was the first. She picked Delta’s Peak and held a ceremony there with her closest circle of company.”

His eyes refused to blink when his view changed again. It showed the woman holding her white flames down. There was a man with cropped brown hair who shot out his hand, lulling the fires almost right away. He kissed the person with long purple hair standing beside him when The Priestess nodded at a woman across her. The woman with glowing eyes and short black hair stretched out her hand. The scene abruptly ended followed by the curls of grey fading into black, leaving him an unfinished story.

He didn’t know why but an ache formed in Thael’s heart. Sister Ultrid went on.

“Master Enfer, the King of Dusk sealed the pit with his powers to make sure Princess Raeth’s fire didn’t burn the world down.” He saw a young man with dark blue locks conjure water then directed it towards the flames—not to smother it, but to cover. He knew something happened to the water when he saw it turn colours but the smoke was changing as well. After that, the mist did not show any more memories of the past.

“His element was water.”

He understood why those specific scenes were revealed. She sat back down and The Sister waved her scepter once more to remove the mist. Ivelis sucked in a breath.

“You want me to seal the fire?”

A nod.

“At what price?” she asked.

“Any.”

Murmurs and whispers filled the room. Though Thael’s ears strained to make out what the court was saying, he could still hear a few sentences being thrown around. Some talked about how outrageous it was, some questioned if Ivelis was even powerful enough. Somewhere in between, his name was mentioned too.

“Are you sure, Sister Ultrid? Isn’t that a bit too much? We have given six offerings.” voiced out a man.

He turned to face an elderly man, sitting beside the Mage of Honour herself. Wrinkles lined his frowning face as his pair of emotionless eyes casted a hard gaze on them. Pearly symbols were embroidered on the black magician’s robe he wore. A mark on his forehead caught his eye: it meant primed, in the common tongue.

He was the Primed. Mag-Zule—the leader of the members in this court, as Giannne had said.

The Primed continued, “I have no issue with Miss Ecawil going as The Grand Court’s representative but her... payment should be a different issue to discuss between us, Mage of Honour.”

“The Grand Court’s representative? What do you mean by that, Mag-Zule?”

Thael’s face remained blank but he was collecting information.

“Who else would you be going as, Miss Ecawil?”

Even without looking at her eyes, he knew they were filled with anger. He could practically feel it radiating from her. If he was being honest to himself, he didn’t know whether it was real or just an act. There was now a slight fear beside where his respect for her grew.

She chuckled humorlessly, “I am the Lady of tribe Sicilia. The Grand Court is the one asking for my help now, not the other way around. You think I am going to represent this court of hags that think they rule the world? I am a person of my own, Mag-Zule. Try changing that and you will find yourself needing another silver-tongued Art Queen that controls water.”

The threat laced in her words were genuine. He found it interesting that half of the court had fear dancing in their eyes. Some of them even seemed offended but it only made everything funnier to him. The Primed grumbled something he couldn’t hear and turned to Sister Ultrid.

“As you wish, Lady Ivelis. Prince Dantell Light will know the Art Queen heads for his castle come dawn. We will take care of Thael Edver in your absence.”

Once again, she interrupted The Sister, “He is coming with me. No negotiation on that bit. After all, your letter stated that he belonged to me.”

The Primed raised a brow, “Yes, we gave him to you as a slave. Are you-”

“Servant, Mag-Zule. No one is a slave in our traditions. Not anymore.”

Thael stood very still at that moment.

“And I am very certain that I don’t want to leave him in any of your hands.”

A slave. Not a servant but a slave. The humiliation she had spared him… He wished Ivelis had killed him instead. It pulled a trigger inside him that burned away any sense of regard or honour for the court, they truly were shitheads. Thael believed a luck god must have spared him to have placed him in her hands.

“Now, regarding my payment. I will only agree if it means that The Grand Court owes me 2 very big favours,” she switched.

The blonde woman with horns hesitated, “Two? Why two?”

“Because the first one is for agreeing to this. The second is for my willingness to give a horse’s arse about your business.”

Sister Ultrid looked grim as she sternly pressed on, “Do not fail, young lady. Your life is not the only one at risk.”

He agreed as much as Ivelis did.

She rose from her seat. “Sign the agreements and bring it to me later. All of the scrolls, both my part and yours. Is there anything else you wish to discuss with me? If not, we will be returning to my chambers. Allow us to leave, he and I have a long journey tomorrow,” she said, pointing a thumb at him.

To Thael’s surprise, all the court members nodded.