And her name is…

I lead him into dancing behind a crowd and approach one of the guards at the doorway to direct me to a bathroom, leaving my dance partner with someone else as I slip away. I circle the halls surrounding the party space and find Helion with Pretta, the guard Wulfric sent close behind them. I hide behind a pillar on one side of a large window to listen in on them when I hear something like a large bell tolling. I still and wait. This wasn’t part of Noryth’s plan. Someone has fucked up, or there’s another wildcard making their own moves.

I hear a rush of steps coming towards where I am and sink further against the wall.

“What is it?” Kheliq demands.

“There’s reports of those infected with the blight in the city,” a voice returns.

“That’s impossible!” Kheliq returns.

They are nearly upon me and I need to make my move. My plan is falling into place as they approach and I count like I can actually work it out to the second. I walk from behind the pillar and look at Pretta, gesturing to her with my lips on the hope that she’ll leave Helion’s side to speak to me. They’re walking slow enough that she could be missing from his side for a moment and he wouldn’t notice. She joins me in front of the window and I guide her to the bench, draining her energy as I slip off her cloak and veil. I put them on just as she had them and join the group, hiding my hands in my pockets so he won’t be tempted to hold them.

“…Don’t let the guests find out. Send a dozen guards to dispatch them and get rid of the evidence.” Kheliq continues and then turns to Helion once all but two of his personal guards are gone. “When willsheshow up.”

Helion chuckles. “Nervous old friend?”

Kheliq scoffs. “Hardly. I just want back what’s mine.”

Helion groans under his breath. “We agreed, she is mine.”

Kheliq scoffs. “No, that was your wager. I never agreed. The half breed is mine.”

Helion clicks his tongue with annoyance but doesn’t say anything for several moments. “If you wait here, I’ll check for her.”

“I greeted everyone in therepersonally,” Kheliq rebuts. “She is not in there.”

Helion chuckles. “She’s around here somewhere. I know it.” I stay silent and move to walk with Helion when he stops. “Kheliq, keep her with you. Stay here Darling, I’ll be right back.”

Fuck.

I stop and nod, taking a step back from him and glaring at him through the veil before he walks away. Kheliq is picking lint off his sleeve when another of his guards approaches us. He silences the guard from speaking, directing both him and I to follow further into the garden first.

“What is it?” Kheliq demands.

“The infected,” the guard stammers. “They’re humans.”

“What?!” Kheliq shouts it so suddenly I almost thought it was me shouting it. “The nearest human town is…” He drifts off and I know why, it’s the same reason I’m standing in stunned silence. “Don’t let this get out. Shit.” The guard rushes off and Kheliq turns on me gripping my shoulders. “Did they let her go back to her home town??! Tell me!” I’m smiling beneath the veil but I shake my head. “Fuck.”

He runs his hands through his hair and starts placing. I watch him spiral for a minute before I clear my throat. I need to make my voice higher so he doesn’t figure it out immediately, but his eyes are on me already.

“But I know other things,” I begin, walking further into the garden.

“Like?” He begins suspiciously.

“Helion only wants her because she looks like someone else, but…” I let my voice get quiet, imploring him to follow me.

“What!?” He demands, storming after me.

“I have it on good authority that they think her motheristhat woman; a lady Helion knew name Leocidia,” I whisper.

Kheliq growls and reaches out to grab my neck through the veil. “How did he know her?”

I cough around his hold but behind the veil I’m grinning. “Something like a sleep away camp, they slept together.”

Kheliq wrinkles his nose at me but releases my neck. “That whore.”

I bite my tongue at that remark, but it’s in me to kill him now. I can’t. Not yet. I still have questions I want the answers to. I roll my neck out and watch him. He looks furious and I know he’ll start talking if I get things wrong.

“He thinks she would have given him a strong son if her parents hadn’t married her off.” Not entirely a lie, I’m sure all men think the same.

Kheliq turns on me, eyes burning with his more than 200 years of life. “She was supposed to have MY son. I only forced her grandfather to marry her off to me for that one purpose. I never gave a shit about their shitty, small plot of land or resources. They couldn’t give me anything I couldn’t get somewhere else with half the effort, but they knew I could take it if I wanted to and that’s why they agreed. I only wanted my son of born for death and destruction.”

My smile has faded listening to him and I just stare. “What do you mean?”

He chuckles. “That Helion thinks anyone of his bloodline could accomplish anything so grand is absurd.” He chuckles a deep laugh and turns back toward me. “So is she?”

“What?” I return.

“Is the girl Leocidia’s daughter?”

“Did you think she was when you had her?” I return.

“Don’t answer my question with a question,” he growls. “I could kill you and sleep soundly tonight.”

I can’t help the giggle that slips free. “That’s okay, I planned to die today anyway. Okay, I’ll answer you question if you tell me one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Why a son?” He hesitates in answering me so I continue. “I already know about your affinity.”

He smirks. “Hmm, clever girl. Have you been eavesdropping? A small thing like you must pick up all the gossip. Alright, I’ll humour you. I foresaw two children of mixed Orthorian heritage that would come together and reform the world, and I was to have one of them. One child of death and destruction, and one to bring life where there was nothing and balance to death.” He chuckles again. “I am not in the business of bringingbalance. A son could rule beside me as we take over our world together, and I would show him how to control his peace loving mateproperly. The Queens had their chance, this is the time of Kings.”

I see it now. And, I start to laugh. My stomach bends in the middle and I’m laughing near uncontrollably. I look up towards Kheliq but the stupid veil is in the way and I tear it off. His face looks confused as shit and it almost makes me start laughing again but I pull back. As I stand he sees the red of my dress and then focuses on my face. His eyes narrow and he glares like he can see through my glammer. He can’t, but he can see the ground dying outward in a circle around me towards him.

“Who are you?”

I run my fingers through my hair and let the extent of my glammer fall as I drop my cloak on the ground. His eyes blow wide and he points an angry finger at me.

“Theodosine, although you only called me ‘half-breed’. You’re such an idiot. You never did figure it out.” I grin, and I release my restraint around my animal to show off my teeth and claws. “I’m not a half-breed.”

“But.. your ears…”

I roll my eyes, done talking about it. “Glammer,” I return flatly shifting my face behind my waving hand as proof of how easy it is. “That’s besides the point. You made my mother miserable, you slaughtered my town, abused my friends, tortured me…” I sigh with a smile. “I have been looking forward to this day for over six years.”