Stretching my shoulders, I put the glasses on and leaned in, looking up and down the gate mechanism. There was nothing else of note, so I stepped away and stowed my glasses back in my case.
“Are you ready to see more?” the King asked.
“Yes.” I picked up my case and followed him out of the gatehouse.
I crossed the courtyard at the King's side, and we went up the steps to the keep. The guards stationed there opened the doors for us as we approached, and we passed inside without stopping. Luxurious furnishings filled every room, along with modern magical machines and curious courtiers. I even saw a few Volpers. One of them noted the Beckhur Clan symbol on my case and bowed to me. I noted him back, memorizing his face. I didn't know him, but he knew my clan and respected it. That was enough to pique my interest.
We passed through a hallway with a lifter. The device transported people from one floor to another, but it was roped off. I frowned at that and followed the King to a set of stairs going down. Lights came on as we descended, washing the dull stone walls in amber.
“The worst of it is down here.” The King left the stairwell to enter a bare chamber of stone.
Two horn guards stood to either side of a massive steel door, but they each kept two feet between themselves and the door. They bowed as the King entered the room and stepped further away from the door. Their unease was justified. Silver veins spread across the steel door, covering most of the metal in beautiful designs with crumbling centers. I didn't need my glasses to see the depth of this rot. It had surfaced.
“This is our armory. It has the strongest ward in the palace.” The King motioned at the door that stood several feet taller than he.
Eyes narrowed, I approached the door. “You have a stronger ward on your armory than on your gate?”
“I have thirty horns guarding the walls and the gate. Only two are posted here.”
“What about your quarters?” I set my case down and opened it.
“What about them?” He leaned over me to peer into my case.
I removed my collection kit. No matter where I went, I always had a collection kit with me. You never know when you might find a rare ingredient or a fascinating specimen. Afteropening the little silver case, I removed a pair of pincers and a small glass jar.
As I stood, I looked at the King. “Don't you have a ward on the door to your quarters?”
“No. I'm the strongest person in the city. If someone wants to test that, I'll be happy to oblige.”
I stared at him. He didn't twitch, just met my stare with confidence. The words hadn't held arrogance, only honesty. Which made them even more dominant. Nothing to dispute there. Dropping my gaze, I went to the door. The guards drew further away.
After uncapping the glass jar, I held the lid out to the Dragon King. “Do you mind?”
He took it without a word, and I didn't bother to look at him. I was intent on my job, and didn't think it wise to look away from the rot when I stood so close to it. Not until I knew what it was or how it spread. Holding the jar as close to the door as possible, I scraped some of the crumbled center of a silver bloom into it. The delicate flakes fell into the jar like snow to pile on the bottom. Holding my breath, I stepped back and held the pincers out to the King.
“Hold them by the bottom.” I transferred them carefully to his grip and then took the jar lid from him.
Barely breathing, I capped the jar and set it in my collection kit. After closing that, I removed a cloth and held it open, nodding to the King. “Carefully, place the pincers on the cloth, please.”
Eyebrows lifted, the King set the pincers down, and I closed the cloth around them. With them contained, I moved faster, tucking them away and closing my case. I stood up and motioned to the guards. “Up the stairs. Now!”
The guards looked at the King.
The King nodded.
The guards hurried upstairs.
“Now you, Your Majesty. If you would please hurry.” I waved him after them.
The Dragon King climbed the stairs, glancing back only once to see me coming up after him. I didn't take a deep breath until we reached the top. The horns stood there, looking between the King and me.
“You need to board up this passage.” I motioned toward the open stairwell. “As soon as possible, Your Majesty.”
“It's contagious?” The King stepped away from the stairwell.
“I'm not sure yet. But the rot has surfaced in that door, and with exposure, things otherwise contained can become airborne. At first glance, this is a rot that targets enchantments, but most of the races of Serai have magic in them, including Dragons. If this disease targets magic, it could potentially target you, Sire.”
The King nodded at a guard, and the guard ran off. To the other, he said. “Make sure no one goes down there. Stay back until it's boarded up.”
