He secures his great axe to his back and folds his arms over his chest. The amusement over the macabre space has long faded. “Hello,Makt.”
An ethereal figure forms from the mist. The shape of a towering warrior, whose harshly defined physique appears to have been carved from a mountainside. His wild mane of hair desperately needs a cut, and stubble covers his face. A thick velvet cloak framing a glistening plate armor drapes his broad shoulders.
“You should know I still refuse you.” Calder glowers at the God of Power.
“Ah, but you see, you have created a weakness with that woman.” He tisks, pacing with his hands clasped behind his smoky back. “When I thought you could sink no lower, you fornicate with the grandchild of Maeve and Briny.”
“Say what you mean.”
His lips tug into a wicked grin straight from the Abyss. “I want to watch you dance. If I tie up your pretty girl and peel the flesh off her bones, you’ll offer me that agreement I so desire.” Makt shakes his head. “A man willing to die for a mere woman. Pathetic. With all this weakness in your soul, how will you ever be able to wieldmygreat axe?”
Rage, the likes he has never known, floods his veins with a feral instinct to shred him to pieces.
How dare he threaten my princess!
“You offer me a cruel death and expect me to thank you for it?”
“You were born for one purpose and one purpose alone.” Makt spits the words like icy rain. “You chose to ignore me, and see where you ended up.”
Aching pain from fifteen winters ago wrenches his gut. Calder reacts without thinking, throwing a book at the gods' shadowy form. “Do not ever speak about my son!”
“I owned that boy just as I own you. One way or another, you will acquiesce, my son.” Makt’s form explodes into a black mist that vanishes into the stone floor, leaving him alone in the stale library.
When Calder returns to the crumbling dining hall, he trembles with a bitter blend of emotions that only his parents can curdle in his miserable spirit.
The threat of losing Aura has his heart pounding with agonizing tension. He cannot decide whether freezing all of Skalor will alleviate his fury or if he must slowly cut Lavinia apart until her dear consort appears.
The sight of the Princess is like a shining beacon of hope, assuring them that their quest is not a complete suicide mission.
Aura has now amassed a little army of multi-colored mini flames, each sporting a rather adorable curly cue above its head. Her smile at her creations wavers when he enters.
“What happened? You look as if you have seen a ghost.”
I cannot bear to admit the truth about my connection with Makt. Not yet.
“I spoke with Makt.”
Aura gapes, and suddenly, her army of fire bounces frantically at her back. “Why? Briny only comes when I speak through the Stone or at nameday celebrations. Well, there was that one Solstice when he got drunk and made advances on Grandma Frida, who I think he holds feelings toward-”
“We need to locate his great axe and get out of here. Any word from the others?”
At first, she perks up at the mention of the weapon, as he has never confirmed its type. Her fierce gaze wavers as if she wants to confront him. Ultimately, her curls dance around her head as she shakes her head.
“Only you. Did Makt pressure you to be his vessel?”
“He attempted.” He peers at her. “Please, beautiful, do not stray from my side.”
She parts her luscious lips to question him when a faint squeak causes them to turn and face one of her bouncing flames. Theseidrfire leaps into her hands, squeaking as if its life depends on it.
“Edmund!” She tears through the corridor on their right without another word.
Calder trips over himself to keep up, not risking her being out of sight for a moment.
He follows her down the damp passageway, trying not to step onher legion of fireballs that continue to get underfoot. When they reach the chamber, the little flame illuminates Edmund’s weary form perched in a rickety chair.
“What happened?” Calder demands more forcefully than he intended. “We have your light.”
Edmund pushes himself to his feet and walks into the flicker of the flames. “The wall here depicts the gods! I didn’t get to read much because I stepped on the poor little creature, and it ran away.” He kneels beside the fire, hiding by Aura’s foot. “I’m sorry, little fire creature,” he says, holding out his hand in repentance.
