1
Beginnings
Twenty-Two Years Ago
Bones Estate, “The Black Tower,” Exmoor
“You should kill it. Now. While you still can.”
Rontu, Representative to the United Kingdom by order of the Obeah Regis, highest adept of his caste known to be living in England, and third in line to the Sanctum Occulus itself, aimed a cold stare at the tall, pale Magical in front of him.
“You know what this means.” Rontu’s voice was cold, immovable in the way of his caste, but held just the faintest trace of sympathy.
That faint flavour would be discernible only to one familiar with their ways. Malefic knew the small concession arose only as a nod to Malefic himself, an acknowledgement that he ranked well above the Representative’s usual audience.
Generally, the Obeah weren’t required to bow to the same hierarchies as regular, magic-wielding Magicals. Their caste set them apart, in ways that put Obeah simultaneously above andbelow their Magical brethren, or perhaps on a different set of ladders entirely. After all, no meaningful comparison existed between the Obeah and those who couldusemagic in the world, rather than simply see it.
Of course, no regular mage or witch, not even Malefic himself, could see magical frequencies at the refined level of detail of even the lowest acolyte from the Obeah caste. It’s why the Obeah alone oversaw the most powerful magics in known existence. All deadly spells and rituals, all unstable and potentially explosive branches of magical knowledge––at least of thoseknownby Magical authorities––lived solely inside the fortress-like Sanctum Occulus.
No one else even knew the precise location of that hallowed and cursed place, and could only visit by protected mirrors accessible only via the Central Magical Authority, where the Obeah had dedicated offices in London, alongside the other castes.
Not even Malefic knew the Sanctum’sexactlocation, although he had visited those halls more than once, and knew more than most.
“…It cannot be allowed to live,” Rontu repeated, perhaps due to Malefic’s silence. “You know our law, venerated cousin. I cannot fall on this any other way. The ruling in such cases, exceedingly rare though they be, is more than clear. Moreover, it is absolute. Unyielding. It is also utterly without exception.”
Malefic stared into the skeletal face of the elder being.
He towered over Rontu by at least four inches, and now he stepped closer to emphasize that difference. His lip curled as it dawned on him exactly how serious the arrogant Obeah worm was about his words.
How dare he?
How in the gods’ eternal madnessdarethis defective, half-Magicalmutantsay such a thing to him? How dare he think such words, much less speak them aloud?
“You are talking about my son,” he remarked.
His words came out deceptively calm.
If the wizened ape had known him better, or known him at all, he might have known what his callous remarks had evoked.
He might also have known to speak more carefully in any words that followed.
Rontu only stared blankly, no hint of any real apology in his eyes.
“He is our first,” Malefic added at the other’s silence.
His voice lilted into melody as he infused it with the magic from his familial primal, the bone dragon staring sightlessly at the smaller mage from its perch on his shoulder.
“…You are speaking of the heir to my family title,” Malefic continued coldly. “Of the oldest Magical family in England. Third eldest of Magique itself. That law isolderthan the one of which you speak. We come frombeforesuch laws.”
As if to channel some of Malefic’s inner disquiet, or possibly just to express it where Rontu might finally notice, the bone dragon on his shoulder flapped its long wings, clacking its jawbone as its eyes glowed red.
Rontu remained unmoved.
“Speak!” Malefic demanded. “Defend your sick appraisal, at least!”
The Obeah blinked, then inclined his head.
“I am describing the necessary outcome of a tragic accident of birth, cousin,” Rontu countered. “You would not permit it to live if it had hooves and a tail.” He inclined his head a fraction more. “You would not tolerate its living withanyvisible abomination, cousin, not if it could not be corrected. This, sadly, is no different than any incurable condition, even if it takessome few years to grow obvious. You must bepractical,Malefic. This… creature… is a mistake. It is not your titled heir. Itcannot beyour titled heir––”
