Their overexcited cawing and jumping around on taloned feet had me wanting to get out of there immediately.
“Just remember, I need the majority bled for me.” I reminded them firmly, not wanting them to get overzealous. They were only useful up until they started to interfere with my blood supply.
“Of course, king.” A blue feathery head nodded, its wide smile all the more disconcerting with the rows of serrated fangs.
I gave them a brisk nod, taking back off into the sky to fly into the interior part of the camp, bristling as I heard their bird-like cackling. I brushed it off, for now, as I flew past the several layers of guards and walls to the interior section of the camp. I landed among rows of humans strapped upside down to boards, blood dripping slowly into the collection bottles.
“My King.” Kesshuu bowed before me, and I quickly had him rise so we could get on with this.
“How is it coming, Kess?” I asked impatiently, having been itching to get out here and check on our progress.
He smiled slyly, nodding his head to the left and walking off in that direction. I followed, anticipation rising, my heart beating as if Asteria herself was right in front of me, within touching distance.
I shook off the thought. I’d have plenty of time to touch as soon as this succeeded.
I followed Kesshuu back past the humans chained to the ground. There was no need for the pretense of care anymore, not with these ones.
Asteria may have thought human slaves were seen as nothing more than sheep for the slaughter, but she hadn’t truly seen the meaning of the phrase yet.
She would, though.
I wrinkled my nose at the smell. Shalim, humans were truly disgusting creatures. Unwashed, the scent of body odor, piss, and shit pervaded the space. I hurried my steps forward.
“You get used to it,” Kesshuu advised, a slight smile on his face. I shook my head. It was revolting, and a king had no need to adjust to such things.
Finally, we came to a small building that had a series of locked doors. Three deep, and all with different keys. This was too important to leave to chance or destruction. Human rebels were popping up more and more often. While the court may be quelled by me, the humans I don’t see on a regular basis have not yet learned the severe error of their ways.
But they would soon enough.
They’d actually managed to damage one of my camps and free some of the humans there. A small number, of course, but any number was too many.
Past the third door, we began descending a spiral staircase deep into the ground, where a long-forgotten dungeon had been transformed. A screeching noise reached me first, and then the banging. A full smithy had essentially been created down here, with some key differences.
The Fae holding the leashes straightened as I walked in, but the collared humans kept working away.
“We’ve managed to make plenty of iron.” Kesshuu smiled fully, turning his head to me. “We’ve created all the weapons you asked for, plus a few more… innovations, let’s say.”
I raised a brow at him, but couldn’t help the smile that tilted my lips. I clapped a hand on his shoulder, “Good work, Kess.”
“Thank you, my King.” He dipped his head quickly. “We’ve got much of it ready to transport wherever you wish at a moment's notice. We could send half to Evenfall and half to Alfheim if you’d like, secure the capital and the border?”
I walked further into the room, bending to examine the iron as it was worked.
Such a little thing, with such devastating impact.
I bit the gloved tip of my index finger to swiftly remove the black leather from my right hand.
“My King,” Kesshuu began, panicked. “There’s no ne?—”
He quieted as my fingertip brushed the iron briefly. The sharp hiss of pain had me swearing under my breath. Getting stabbed with this would feel like being burnt alive. I could even feel the sap on my magic, from just the slightest brush against my skin.
It was perfect.
“Send some to both Alfheim and Falias.” I mused, considering our border. “I want Vissy’s city protected as well. Some to Eventide itself even. Make sure Calix doesn’t jump over the border on this end.”
“Of course.” Kesshuu agreed, voice low.
“But I want the majority sent to Evenfall,” I told him firmly, having decided on the path forward. “Calix might find a way to fight through the border, or find a new way around. But I know he’ll come for Evenfall eventually. I want to ensure he finds the nastiest of surprises waiting for him.”
