“A beastly growl?” Aden finished the sentence for him.
Onric did not respond, but he must have gestured to the two guards as Aden heard their deafening footsteps retreat out the door.
“So, you have set your guards on me like a common criminal?” Aden’s words were full of spite. Somehow, it was easier to show his frustrated emotions to Onric than to Ian and his mother.
“That actually was not me,” Onric replied. “I have been too busy ensuring that Lord Munney is safely locked away and helping Father brief the two messengers that just left for Chendas.”
“Lord Munney?”
“Yes. You know, the councilor from Chendas?” Onric spoke as though stating the obvious. “Perhaps you really are addled in the head...”
Aden let out a low growl.
Onric jumped backward. “Okay, okay, I was merely jesting. So, you don’t know what happened?”
Aden smirked. If a light growl held that much power, perhaps he was not as out of control as he thought. “I know I was cursed by a Majis,” he replied to Onric’s question, “but I could not get much more out of Ian as he was too busy apologizing for causing all this.”
“He refused to leave your side. I am surprised he is not here now.”
“I growled at him.”
“I don’t see what everyone is up in arms about. You have obviously not changed a bit.”
Aden could have hugged his older brother. He sank back down onto the bed behind him, awkwardly crossing his unfamiliar arms as he sat. “So, Lord Munney?”
“Turns out, he was secretly a Majis this whole time. He tried to curse Ian at the ball, but some lad heroically jumped in front of him and took the hit.” Onric’s voice grew serious. “I must say, Aden, that was well done. You acted quickly and selflessly, and I am proud to call you a member of my castle guard. You were the only one who got there in time.”
For a moment, Aden forgot he was living in a nightmare. He simply let his brother’s words wash over him. This entire situation was miserable, but he did have to remember that he had saved his older brother in exchange for... whatever this was. It seemed terribly unfair, but regardless of the outcome, he would have done it again in the moment. “Thank you.” His new tongue struggled to form the two simple words.
“Hopefully we will hear back from Chendas in the next few days and they can send us a real councilor or examiner, who might know more about this magical curse. More precisely, how to undo it.” Onric sighed.
It was a light sigh, probably not intended for Aden’s ears, but he heard it nonetheless. “You have doubts?”
“I’m not sure if it is merely that Lord Munney was thwarting any real efforts the Council made to unlock the secrets of the Majis, or if the Council really has discovered nothing. Either way, it is hard to put my hope in them, seeing as they royally betrayed us the first time. Not that... not that you should lose hope, of course. This has only just happened. We have plenty of time to figure it out. How are you, by the way?”
Aden was not yet ready to process whether he had hope, or even whether he should have hope, so he gladly let his brother change the conversation. “Other than the fact that I... I mean, I feel different. I can’t see myself, though. Is it really that... am I really that bad?”
“You can’t see?”
“Some hazy light and shadow, but mostly nothing.”
“Then how did you know that it was James and Mattew?” Onric asked.
“What?” Aden did not follow the logic behind his question.
“The two guards. You called them by name. How did you know which guards they were if you cannot see?”
“I don’t know.” Aden thought back to the moment the two guards had entered the room. It was obvious his hearing had changed as well as his eyesight. Perhaps his other senses had increased as well? He inhaled through his nose. His older brother smelt of sweat and cloves, with maybe a touch of patchouli? The scent brought back a memory from a few hours before. He was walking up the staircase to the third balcony of the ballroom to avoid the dancing and gliding his hand along the smooth wooden railing. The railing had the rich aroma of clove and patchouli. That moment felt like a lifetime ago. Interesting.
“Let me know if you notice anything else,” Onric said. “I, uh, I may have a deeper knowledge of the Majis and their magic than I... Just keep me informed on anything you notice that may be magic related, even if it seems unimportant, please?”
“So now I am just another one of your Majis experiments?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.”
Aden growled again, hoping for the same fearful reaction it had produced earlier. He was disappointed.
Onric did not even flinch. “I should get going. It has been quite the night, and I still have a few things to see to.”
