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Chapter 57
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2024-10-29 19:42:56By the next night, I was in the camp once again. Tom had covered for me as well as he could, but Mikael had started to worry anyway.
Thankfully, there was water in the tent. I poured some on myself, changed clothes, and came out.
Where was I?
Yep, I went to check the carts that had lagged behind, find out if they had lost anything or bartered for drinks. Was it ununworthy of a prince? Maybe, but at least I would be sure of everything. During wartime, supplies are everything.
Troop deployment? I defer it to you.
How about we put heavy infantry in the center, cavalry on the left, the ground there is nice, and the contingency force on the right?
There’s a forest there, they could hide there.
Offense? No way.
If the enemy wants to come to us, let them. We’ll wait. Fine, we can advance on them, but later. I’ll rest a bit and then let’s go.
When? Well, next morning, or better yet, evening. I barely brou
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“Alex!”Tom saved my life, pushing me away from a blow. Those creatures weren’t as dumb as they seemed. The devourers knew who had summoned them, and had no desire to leave.To remain in our world, green and full of people, the food for their fangs and claws, full of power—wasn’t that a demon’s dream? While I was busy with the second pit, the tentacles from the third one got to us.Tom pushed me aside...and took the brunt of the blow. He tumbled along the ground and stopped motionless, lying like a broken doll.“No!”I didn’t even realize at first that it was me who had cried out.Was he dead?No, his soul wasn’t flying away! And even if it was, I would get it back.I was a necromancer, dammit.Rage and desperation flashed inside me, and my other half got the upper hand. Instead of banishing the devourers with my necromantic power, I immolated them with a stream of scorching flames. It didn’t really matter anymore, though.The second pit closed up with a moist slurp, and I burned the
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After those events, the Riolonians wanted to continue the war about as much as we did. And so, we sat down to talk: me, Darius...Nobody else had survived. Not even a crown remained from Mikael. No surprises there.I had released enough of my power to burn even his bones to ash and then incinerate the ash as well, even if that was a pretty tricky thing in general.There were two Tevarrian generals left. The talks took place in the view of the entire army.Why?Nobody had wanted to set up camp here, bunk down... As a matter of fact, devourers tend to exude certain emanations, and they are particularly persistent, like cat pee in your boots.The stink would linger long after everything had dried out, and no washing, err, cleaning, would eradicate those emanations from the area. You could try and force yourself to remain in such a place, of course, but it would only end up in your nightmares, heart pains, or worse. And I would definitely discourage you from sleeping without a ward circle
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The templar flushed with anger, but restrained himself. He realized that strength wasn’t on their side and swallowed the insult. He would get back at me later, if I gave him the chance.“We are going to question the soldiers; in the evening, we’ll speak with you.”It sounded like a clear threat, but I responded with a serene smile.You haven’t seen Argadon yet, you dog.“I’ll be eagerly waiting.”“Then wait,” the templar said curtly to have the last word in the argument and turned his horse back.The colonels stared at me with...fear? Finally, one of them spoke up.“Your Highness, is that really such a good idea, angering the Church? They are powerful...”I shrugged.“Powerful? How many warriors do they have?”The way I put that question seemed new to the colonel. It clearly made him think.“Your Highness...”“My people, colonel, are more important to me than any potential problems with the temple,” I snipped.“We’ll move as intended. We need to reach the river by the evening, or we’l
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Until evening, those bastards were wandering around the camp, interrogating everyone, and getting on everyone’s nerves, while I was asking myself only one question: should I kill them or not? On the one hand, it would make the world a bit better.On the other...wouldn’t it be too suspicious?Ah, whatever!The war will write it off. But how will I get to them?I spent some time thinking, but couldn’t come up with anything useful. Eventually, I threw in the towel. Whatever will be, will be. Let fate decide whether they live or die. I could kill them right now, but how would I avoid revealing myself?The Church had a huge influence over the people, and I would have to rule them. The next morning, I roused the troops and ordered them to march out. The templars started to object, saying that they hadn’t questioned everybody they wanted yet, but I dismissed them.“Do you want to come with us? Go, then. I’ll even give you our best horses.”They wavered, hesitated, and finally, refused. We ha
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“Let’s go.”“Where?”“Don’t you sense it yourself? To eight forsworn.”Ak-kvir got a whiff of the air. The skull shined in the light of the moon.“Forsworn? A good hunt. Will you manage them?”“Don’t even hope to get nine bodies,” I retorted, and the beast took off.He was much faster than the swiftest of horses. He raced like the wind, as if piercing the distance, and I wasn’t surprised when we stopped before a forester’s hut.Eight horses were tied to a hitching post, and it seemed deadly quiet inside. Judging by the look of it, the house was inhabited.Yet... Ak-kvir sucked in the air, passing it through his fangs with a whooshing sound.“Blood...”We found the master of the house behind the shack, crucified on a tree. His hands and feet were nailed to the trunk, and his chest was bound with a rope that supported part of his weight.They hadn’t wanted him to die quickly. They had wanted to make him suffer. The templars believed that agony helps executed sinners reach the Bright abo
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My return to the capital was rushed. Rudolph might have arranged a red carpet welcome, but that would be complicated, considering that the prince’s wife was in prison, the allies had turned out to be traitors, and something unholy had happened on the battlefield.So how would my uncle react to all this? Abigail didn’t know, which is why he didn’t actually react, but summoned me straight away.“Alex, what happened there?”Obediently, I reported everything.“And so, the Tevarrians cooked up a cunning plot. They killed our dear Andre,” I sobbed and wiped a tear from my cheek, “and had me marry their girl to make her a princess, all the while trying to pit us against Riolon. The Riolonians found out somehow and invited me to secret negotiations, which left me shocked, as they showed me the proof. Prince Andre’s assassin! The real one."I omitted the part where it was I who had shown the assassin, and not him, but rather his confession, while he was still lying low.He did want to live, af
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As I hoped, Lavinia had been placed in a tower. How could it be otherwise? Noble ladies weren’t to be sent to a dungeon, especially such...charming ones.The vampire was sitting on the bed with a pretty dark expression on her face, and when I stepped out from a secret passage, was startled, barely managing to stifle a shriek.She managed only a weak exclamation.“Ah!”“Hush!”I pressed a finger against my lips, and she obeyed, then beckoned her with my hand, and she rushed inside the secret passage, quick as lightning.We could talk there.“So you’ve finally got caught, little mouse?”“Alex...my husband...I’m so happy...”“That you won’t have to burn at the stake?”Definitely.“B-burn?!”Lavinia’s face grew deathly pale. I had a killer follow-up.“Uncle’s going to interrogate you tomorrow, together with the templars. Do you want that?”Lavinia shook her head so emphatically, making it clear that she didn’t—at all.“Well then, let’s go.”“W-where?”As I hoped, Lavinia had been placed i
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There are lots of secret passageways in each self-respecting palace. The ones known only by the builders and the customer, the ones that have been keeping their secrets for many centuries. What are they made for?Each passage had its purpose. Nobody would turn their palace into a cheese wheel without a good reason. To eavesdrop; to send an assassin; to escape from an assassin; to hide something valuable.The first two types were safe. As for the others... It was a pretty obvious solution to fill the tunnels with traps: I’ll leave, and you’ll die. I would never advise anyone to prowl around in secret passageways in a palace. But me, I was a different story. I was Radenor’s heir.There might not have been a crown on my head, but the heart of Radenor had already acknowledged me as the rightful king, and I would definitely pay it a visit, right on the night of my official coronation.Meanwhile...A snake slithered before me in the secret passage, navigating the traps, showing me how to di
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“How do you know about the charm spells?”“How could I not! Innis, do you know that your mother had an elder brother?”Innis grew pale.“Y-yes. But he’s...”“Disappeared without a trace. Why would Sidon Andago need him?”I caught the girl so she wouldn’t faint.“Tell me more, you corpse!”That tone finally made him pay attention. The ghost looked at me once more, I released my power, and it was his turn to become pale—or, rather, translucent.“By the Bright! You—”“Yep. Me. And if you don’t answer me right now, I will burn your chicken coop to the ground!”The spirit sighed and began telling his story. He was also a necromancer, who, by a cruel twist of fate, had become a healer.If you make a drawback your advantage, you can heal with the power intended to destroy, that was true.I had never been taught that, but the Andago family seemed no stranger to experimentation.Anyway, Tidann had died like he was supposed to. But during his lifetime, he had conducted trials in that same labor
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I was barely moving my lips, but she definitely heard me, as she ran her hand over her hair and all of a sudden, broke down in tears. It had been a while since I had felt myself that stupid.Still, Martha didn’t cry for long. She raised her head high.“Alex, boy, yer alive!”And there was so much love and happiness in her voice. She didn’t care about herself at all, the main thing was my safety.I couldn’t help but blurt out, from the bottom of my heart, “Mother…”Truly, the mother is not the one who gave birth.“I was so scared for you. After we spoke, I ran off here, yer snake led me. Everything’s quiet, but the ghosts are all afraid. Lots of templars in the palace, all tip-toeing ‘round yer wifey. Methinks, ‘twas the bitched viper who started all this, mark me word!”“Mother, but where’s Tommy? Rene?”“Tommy’s on the lam, he’s taking his wife to Rick. Rene and his pa high-tailed, too. Probably hiding somewhere, ‘lest they lose their knobs in the heat.”“Did somebody get—”“Yep. The
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During dinner, I felt like I was the main course.The local residents questioned me about everything, starting from silk prices in Tevarr to my family, from weather to the royal palace.I squirmed like I was in a hot pan, trying to avoid telling too much. I was pretty good at that.By the end of dinner, Amorta graced me with a smile and a suggestive look from her thin eyelashes, while Sidon thawed out and started to tell me his hunting stories. If they had been true, all the beasts in Radenor wouldn’t be enough for him.I listened to them, nodded, and was finally rewarded with seeing the heir: Sidon’s complete copy. He had Amorta’s ears, but was the spitting image of his father otherwise.Maybe that was why he cherished the child so much. Innis was way too smart, sharp, and independent, not to mention, entirely Andago in her appearance.Blood couldn’t be locked away. I had to coo for a bit, while discreetly collecting a few stray hairs from the baby’s clothes.Let’s see if he’s truly
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Summoning Ak-kvir was easy.He appeared almost right away and sniffed the air.“You again, necromancer?”“Do you object?”“Do you have the payment?”I sneered viciously.“I’ll figure something out.”“Get comfortable, then.”I sat down on his back, and Ak-kvir darted off straight ahead. Eight hours to the town?Dear Innis, just twenty minutes...and that’s taking into account that the demon had grown very lazy.We passed the town wall in a few rough leaps.Good thing that Ak-kvir’s claws were saber-sharp and could pierce any stone three feet deep. And finally, I was left standing in a narrow street. Monsignors bandits, come on.I can’t believe nobody wants these easy pickings!Yeah, that was rhetorical.Five minutes later, a three-man group stumbled upon me.They were so delighted that it was even funny.“Oh, look who’s come to visit!”“A noble boy, bless his heart!”“You there, stand and deliver!”They tried to surround me; how naive. Did they want me to speak?Like dark lightning, I d
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Tommy was blissfully sleeping inside his house with Henrietta nestled against his shoulder, snuffling and smiling in her sleep. But when an ice-cold wave came over them, both had to rise up, their peace disturbed.That wind was something they could never hide or shield themselves from; it was a death wind, and it brought cold from the grave, making him feel as if he were in a coffin.Even dead men could wake up after feeling something like that...and sometimes, they did.“What!”The darkness in the room grew thicker and took on Martha’s shape, smiling with her mouth full of shark teeth.“It’s me, Tom. Martha.”Instantly, Tommy was relieved. He had seen that many times before.No big deal, Alex had pulled stunts much worse than that. When you live with necromancers, do as necromancers do.“What’s wrong?”“Treason. Take your wife and hide, I will warn the Morinars, so...try to get to Torrin. You are the most vulnerable of us all.”“How’s Alex?”“Alive.”Tommy breathed out.“Good. But wh
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I had two options: either promptly summon Ak-kvir and get to the capital, wherein I would clean up the mess, but the schemers would have time to get away, that was as clear as day.The other option...Fine, you’ve gotten rid of the rightful king.Now what?Oops.Well, you can sit on the throne of Radenor, you would even stay there...for like twenty seconds. After that, prepare a dust tray and a broom. No need for a coffin, the remains could be poured over a flowerbed in the palace garden. If I held off my return, I would get the chance to reveal the plotters.But what about my family?Well, that was a moot question. If I were a plotter, I would first kill the king—me—and then, if everything worked out well, switch to his entourage.Yet, I suspected that no templars had survived. Generally, I was a nice guy, but they had managed to really piss me off. I still had some time before they would attack Martha, Tommy, Rene, Dariola... Although, why would they attack Dariola?Her child was th
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Surprised, Innis stared at the demon who had appeared in her pentagram. He wasn’t quite what she had expected. Visually, he seemed a proper demon: claws, scales, and a tail.But should he really be all bloody and unconscious?Grandpa’s diary never said anything like that. Too bad I couldn’t find any other notes.But...what am I to do with it? Try to call him? Shake him awake?No, reaching inside the pentagram was forbidden.What if I poke him with a stick? He can’t just lie there in my tower, can he?I have enough problems on my plate without a dead demon!**I was in agony. Every bit of my body that was still there was emanating with pain, even my tail. “Demon, are you alive? Demon! Damn you, you’re a rascal, not a demon!”It was clearly a girl’s voice. She seemed young and quite upset. She had a throaty contralto, clear and singsong, like hot chocolate.I definitely wasn’t in a temple.Where then?I focused and tried to prop myself on my elbows, then open my eyes.Yeah, they had gi
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After Martha told me that my wife was likely with child, I wasn’t even surprised or worried.She isn’t saying anything to me?There could be lots of reasons!Maybe she didn’t know so herself or wanted to make sure. What was there to discuss? I just had to charge the court healer with a task.Alas, I was wrong, and I had to pay for that mistake sooner than I had expected. Two days later, I found myself on the way to a small town called Livaren.I was still traveling around the country so the officials I had appointed would stay on edge. When the king shows up on your doorstep and demands an answer...or just shows up...it can really shake you up.Bad news came from Livaren.Somebody destroyed ten of my ghosts. I had to visit and figure out what was happening there. That was exactly what I did. I was used to nobody ever standing in my way. Have I already mentioned that sometimes, I can be a real idiot?The mayor, Baron Fagin, was cheerful. He had clearly screwed up. But considering that
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Princess Dariola.What did she look like?Not a beauty, or at least I didn’t think so. She was tall, half a head taller than me, and thin as a rail.She had blonde hair and blue, watery eyes, and her lips were so pale they seemed almost white. She did have nice hands, with long thin fingers, worthy of an artist or a musician.I also liked her voice: high-pitched, clear. She would probably sound great singing merry songs somewhere in a meadow, during summer.Alas, but during our introduction, I didn’t seem to attract her much, either. I guess she thought me too weak and fragile, and I had no wish to disprove her.So, I just kissed her hand.“Your Highness.”Just a neutral phrase. No “My princess” or “Welcome to my kingdom.”They made me an offer I could hardly refuse, and that was enough.Oh, I had divorced soon after getting crowned.The church granted me my request, even if they did try to negotiate. Your Majesty, of course, we’re ready to help you in any way you want, but we’ve gott
