{"id":23013,"date":"2020-07-27T07:24:14","date_gmt":"2020-07-27T11:24:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tellest.com\/?p=23013"},"modified":"2020-07-27T07:24:14","modified_gmt":"2020-07-27T11:24:14","slug":"silver-serpent-two-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/silver-serpent-two-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Silver Serpent Two Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>Chapter One: <\/strong>Undying Legacy<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shadows moved across the stone fa\u00e7ade, and the sounds of rapid footsteps echoed out into the slumbering city.\u00a0 Neither of those sprinters uttered a word, but their conversation was implied.<\/p>\n

If she was caught, she wouldn\u2019t make it out of the neighborhood alive.<\/p>\n

Neither of them saw the dark silhouette on top of the buildings beside them, moving along as they did.\u00a0 If they had looked up, perhaps they would have seen the golden circles around the sentinel\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n

A gasp rang out from the young woman, as she turned a corner and almost spilled into the canal.\u00a0 The wooden railing there was the only thing that saved her from tumbling down into that murky, foul water.\u00a0 She righted herself and looked over her shoulder.<\/p>\n

Her pursuer drew close.<\/p>\n

The woman caught her bearings and broke into a dash once more, charging down the side of that path.\u00a0 As a sob broke through her lips, she managed to squeak out a passing scream between gasps for air.<\/p>\n

That late in Tanner\u2019s Row, anybody who was awake knew better than to help a wayward girl.<\/p>\n

Lucky for her, the man who watched her wasn\u2019t from Tanner\u2019s Row.\u00a0 That masked fellow ran along the buildings, fleet of foot yet quiet, and as he went, he kept those golden-rimmed eyes trained on the man who gave chase beneath him.\u00a0 As he pursued the woman, he moved between the houses in that poorer district of the city, his footsteps seeming to reverberate all around her.<\/p>\n

Those golden eyes couldn\u2019t help the man in green hear any better, but he was almost certain that her heart was close to beating out of her chest.\u00a0 Though she was panicked, the masked man above remained calm and composed.\u00a0 He moved around those houses as well, looking down at the fellow below, keeping his bow ready in his hand.<\/p>\n

The woman ceased her rattled escape, unsure of where she could turn to find sanctuary.\u00a0 With the bandit continuing to move between those buildings, the man in green stopped as well, crouching low to remain out of sight of both those citizens of Argos.<\/p>\n

A whistle rang out in the area, and both she and the man above were certain it came from further along the canal path.\u00a0 Once more, the bandit emerged into that open area.\u00a0 The starlight did little to illuminate his features, but the woman knew that he was there, and she shrank away when she noticed his silhouette.<\/p>\n

The man above, with his much stronger vision, could distinguish more of what the bandit was doing in that low light.\u00a0 The masked man saw as he lifted his hand to his face.\u00a0 A moment later a flame sparked to life.<\/p>\n

That time, it was the vigilante\u2019s own heartbeat which thumped uncontrollably.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t shake the memory of the man responsible for the death of his late mentor.<\/p>\n

But Jerrod Vela, the Magician, was dead, he was sure of it.\u00a0 Whoever that man below was, he was a pretender at best, and an unhinged criminal with nothing to lose at worst.<\/p>\n

That man above blew out a steadying breath and set his eyes upon the bandit once more.\u00a0 The flame he summoned danced on the tip of his finger and illuminated his face enough for his features to be seen\u2014by the woman he pursued, and the unseen fellow on the roof of one of the buildings nearby.\u00a0 Shaggy, dark hair fell along the sides of his face, framing the upturned eyebrows that left him looking almost devilish.\u00a0 A scruffy beard stretched as he cast a mischievous smile at his prey.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet away from me!\u201d the woman cried.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, now,\u201d the rogue replied.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not leaving until I get what I came for.\u00a0 You took something that belongs to me.\u201d\u00a0 He advanced on the woman until she teetered back a step.<\/p>\n

She looked over the railing bordering the canal, then, but before she could think to head in that direction, the sound of a missile ripping through the air resonated in that quiet area of the city.<\/p>\n

The arrow smacked into the wooden guard, halfway between the two citizens.\u00a0 As that thud echoed into the area, the man who launched it forth dropped from the building.<\/p>\n

\u201cMove along,\u201d the vigilante spoke to the woman, though his eyes never left the bandit across the way.<\/p>\n

Gasping in relief, she did as told, spinning about to make her way back through Tanner\u2019s Row.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I felt someone watching,\u201d the rogue said.\u00a0 That smile grew brighter as he considered the new arrival.\u00a0 \u201cI could feel your eyes burning a hole in me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t stop chasing helpless women in my city, I\u2019ll leave you with more than one,\u201d the man in green said, reaching over his shoulder to grasp another arrow.<\/p>\n

The bandit looked away, stroking his beard as though that threat left him wounded and considering how to react.\u00a0 When he spun back toward the stranger though, he lunged forth, slinging his hand ahead like he was throwing a ball.\u00a0 Just before the object left his hands, a new flame appeared there.\u00a0 It whipped through the air and flew past the man in green when he stepped aside.\u00a0 That flame landed against one of those crude stone houses and slid down the side for a few moments before extinguishing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not him,\u201d the rogue said, standing taller as he came to terms with that thought.\u00a0 He licked his thumb and snapped his finger, then, bringing another flame to life on the end of that digit.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re not the Silver Serpent.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a moment, the man in green stared across the way, his shoulders rhythmically lifting and falling as his breathing became fiercer.\u00a0 That brief moment of reflection did little to calm him, though, and he drew his weapon, tugging back on the bowstring and letting his arrow fly.<\/p>\n

The rogue\u2019s eyes went wide as that missile came screeching toward him, and he vaulted over the vault, rolling down the slope toward the canal.\u00a0 He righted himself as he went, leaping over the shallow water at its bottom.\u00a0 Once there, he turned about, waiting to see if that masked man followed him.<\/p>\n

Unable to soothe himself, the man in green did give chase, stepping over that wooden guardrail, but hooking his back leg on it to keep to the high ground.\u00a0 Away from those houses, the starlit sky left him with a better observation of that would-be thief.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat last shot wasn\u2019t a miss,\u201d the vigilante insisted.\u00a0 \u201cIt was a warning.\u00a0 Stop where you are or I\u2019ll make sure you\u2019ll never run again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat, stop right here?\u201d the criminal asked.\u00a0 \u201cAnd then what?\u00a0 We\u2019ll talk before you let me go on my merry way?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t,\u201d the other man protested.\u00a0 \u201cThis won\u2019t end well.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a smirk on his face, the smarmy rogue let a chortle rise up into the night.\u00a0 \u201cIt ends well for one of us, friend.\u201d\u00a0 He moved at once, bending low and running his hand along the water that flowed at the bottom of the canal.\u00a0 As soon as he touched that murky liquid, fire came to life atop it, and traveled along the length of the rest of the canal, as far into the distance as the masked hero could see.\u00a0 With a salute, the bandit charged alongside those flames, leaving his foe behind.<\/p>\n

The vigilante squared his jaw, letting those golden rings in his eyes glow all the brighter as he peered down through Tanner\u2019s Row.\u00a0 Those flames danced along the water farther than even his enhanced vision could detect, and he knew that he had been eluded.<\/p>\n

There would be time to find that fellow later, he reasoned.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t be long before the citizens of Argos emerged from their homes to see what brightened their alleys so late at night.\u00a0 Bowing his head, the man in green moved on, disappearing into the shadows where he could find them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

The door creaked open in the foyer, and the advisor passed a wary glance in that direction.\u00a0 He set down his quill beside the inkwell and gathered up his robe around him.\u00a0 As he made his way to the door, he gathered up the tall staff he kept there before slipping into adjacent hallway.<\/p>\n

Spare for a few candles, the building was dark.\u00a0 Still, those few licks of flame that wavered on the first floor were enough to illuminate the figure that entered his home.\u00a0 His lone servant for the night had moved along, leaving only one person who he supposed it could be.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I heard someone in here earlier,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cBut it was so late, I was certain it was just my old ears playing tricks on me.\u201d\u00a0 He snapped his fingers, sending a spindle of flame from the gem atop his staff to a chandelier that hung from the center of the ceiling.\u00a0 In only a moment, all the candles there were lit, a trick the man had perfected many years before.<\/p>\n

Down below, the man in green bowed his head.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry Edmund,\u201d he offered up a solemn reply.\u00a0 \u201cI expected everyone to be asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

The advisor noticed the weariness in that young man, and began his descent around one of those wide-spiraling staircases.\u00a0 \u201cPrince Kelvin, you\u2019ve not gone a single night without donning that outfit.\u00a0 Don\u2019t you think you owe it to yourself to find some peace, even if it\u2019s only for a short while?\u201d\u00a0 He paused as he reached the marble floor below.\u00a0 \u201cThink of tomorrow, won\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelvin reached up and plucked the green domino mask off his face, sweeping his dirty-blond hair away from his eyes then.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t have time to let things be.\u00a0 Jerrod\u2019s attempt to use the Arcanax Compendium may not have worked as favorably as he hoped, but it still spread far enough.\u00a0 There are new citizens out there who have powers awakened within them, and not all of them are worthy of such responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it can wait, young man,\u201d Edmund insisted.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve put enough of yourself on the line these past few days.\u00a0 Those same people who you\u2019re out there looking for are trying to stay hidden.\u00a0 How do you think they\u2019ll feel when you chase them into a corner?\u00a0 Things are too dangerous now\u2014too unpredictable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can handle myself out there,\u201d Kelvin said.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t need you to worry about me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone has to,\u201d the advisor replied.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t think Marin wondered every time whether or not she was sending you out into trouble you weren\u2019t going to come back from?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I\u2019m here now, and she\u2019s not,\u201d he shouted.\u00a0 At once, the lad locked his jaw, embarrassed by that sudden outburst.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t princely, and certainly wasn\u2019t kingly.\u00a0 His composure soon became he least of his worries as he contemplated those words that lingered in the air.\u00a0 The bitter truth was laid bare before him, and he looked about as though he could see the foolishness of that revelation in the room, like ghosts of the past.\u00a0 Tears lined his eyes, and he couldn\u2019t disguise the sniffle that escaped his nose.<\/p>\n

Edmund walked over to him, laying his hand on the boy\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cYou are not to blame, Master Drakos.\u00a0 You did not lay the final blow upon her but gave her a reason to go on living as long as she did.\u00a0 She thought the world of you, and in a way, her spirit lives on with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelvin sank against one of those marble pillars in the foyer, falling to his rump on the cold floor.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t feel like it does.\u00a0 None of what she taught me is still with me.\u00a0 It\u2019s as though, now that she\u2019s gone, I\u2019ve forgotten all the lessons she imparted on me.\u00a0 Not just the ones that I take out there in the dark of night, behind the mask, but the ones that she tried to explain would make me a good king.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have the restraint I once had, Edmund.\u00a0 I almost killed a man today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes he still draw breath?\u201d the advisor asked.<\/p>\n

The prince bowed his head.\u00a0 \u201cYes.\u00a0 But it was only because in my rage, I missed my shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps you didn\u2019t.\u00a0 There is good in you\u2014more than you know.\u00a0 Those qualities don\u2019t just wash away because we can\u2019t see the sun for a few days.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a long while, they remained there in silence.\u00a0 The older fellow leaned on his staff, and the young prince kept his head between his knees, staring at the ornate cracks in the floor.\u00a0 He brought his thumb up to his face to wipe away the tears on the rim of his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat am I to do, Edmund?\u201d he asked.\u00a0 \u201cShe was the one who taught me everything I know.\u00a0 Everything I\u2019ve become is because of her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that doesn\u2019t change just because she\u2019s gone,\u201d the fellow said.\u00a0 \u201cThis is just one more lesson.\u00a0 We don\u2019t get to keep hold of everything forever.\u00a0 Learning to let go with poise and dignity is a difficult thing to master.\u201d<\/p>\n

He sighed then, leaning against the side of that pillar as well.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t ignore the aches and pains that his body reminded him of.\u00a0 Still, he spun about, falling down against the same pillar on the opposite side.\u00a0 \u201cI miss her, too,\u201d he finally said when he reached the floor.\u00a0 \u201cThis city has lost someone of great import, and only the fewest people truly know it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father is moving things along as though she was just a family servant.\u00a0 He\u2019s already made new arrangements for me.\u00a0 It\u2019s like he doesn\u2019t even remember how much she meant to my mother\u2014how much she meant to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNathaniel\u2014the king,\u201d Edmund corrected, \u201che means well.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t something he takes lightly, I\u2019m sure.\u00a0 But he needs to make sure you\u2019re looked after, and not by some fool that doesn\u2019t understand the risks that come with instructing a young prince.\u00a0 Where is he sending you?\u00a0 Will it be to Icarus to learn alongside your brother?\u00a0 Or perhaps to Aderline to learn more about diplomacy and what it takes to be a representative for\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s none of that,\u201d Kelvin replied.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m starting at the Roche Academy.\u00a0 They don\u2019t usually accept new students until the northern thaws, but because I\u2019m the prince\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a tremendously auspicious facility,\u201d Edmund mused.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s a good history there.\u00a0 The heirs of some of the greatest families of Argos attend there.\u00a0 And yet\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

The prince peered over at his old companion, only seeing the advisor\u2019s robes and his outstretched legs.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t help but let a silent chuckle shake his frame upon seeing that.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t have a single mentor there,\u201d Edmund revealed.\u00a0 \u201cYou won\u2019t have individual time with those that do guide you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be learning alongside a few other peers, other juveniles like yourself.\u00a0 Roche is a fairly large conservatory, with a sizable faculty, but it won\u2019t be the one-on-one mentorship you received from Marin, or that Helios gains from Icarus.\u201d\u00a0 He turned to his side, passing a sideways glance at the young man.\u00a0 \u201cIt won\u2019t be a bad experience, I assure you.\u00a0 My grandson attends Roche, and he has learned a great deal there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t be the same,\u201d Kelvin muttered.\u00a0 \u201cIt won\u2019t be Marin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d the older fellow conceded.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think that anything ever could.\u201d\u00a0 He sighed, taking in the same emptiness in the room that his young companion did.<\/p>\n

As he traced those lines in the marble floor to the far end of the foyer though, his attention was brought to something else instead.\u00a0 More marble was present there in the shape of a bowl, fixed against the wall in a bracket.\u00a0 Beneath it, a quartz vessel held a sizable amount of water, and that liquid rippled every time a drop from the upper container escaped into it.\u00a0 Lines were chiseled into the quartz container, indicating the different time that had passed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems I\u2019ve let another night escape me,\u201d Edmund revealed.\u00a0 \u201cAnd you\u2019ve spent another night distant from the castle.\u00a0 After everything that has happened, I think that your parents finding you gone from your room might have them send the guards on high alert.\u00a0 A kidnapping would not be unheard of after all the other madness we\u2019ve seen unfolding in this city.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re evicting me from your home?\u201d Kelvin mused as he climbed to his feet.\u00a0 \u201cYou know I\u2019m your prince, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAye, I do.\u00a0 And I know that you\u2019re also the king\u2019s son.\u00a0 I like my head where it is, and I plan to keep it there as long as I can.\u201d\u00a0 Edmund reached up, accepting a hand from the prince, who hoisted him off the ground.\u00a0 When he stood across from the prince once more, he clapped the lad on the shoulders. \u00a0\u201cI know that these have been trying times for you, Master Drakos.\u00a0 But you don\u2019t have to do everything yourself, and you certainly don\u2019t have to do it all now.\u00a0 Take some time to grieve.\u00a0 Take some time to find some respite.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what that would feel like,\u201d the prince said with a shrug.\u00a0 \u201cFor the past year it\u2019s been nothing but lessons during the day and\u2026well, different kind of lessons after the sun falls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Edmund reached the side of that room where the water clock was and slid a small iron arm beneath the marble bowl.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ll need a decent distraction, then.\u00a0 One that won\u2019t get you killed or discovered.\u00a0 Both our days will be busy for a short while, but when things grow calm again, I\u2019ll have you out to my villa along the southern coast.\u00a0 There\u2019s something Marin would have wanted you to see there.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the meantime,\u201d he went on.\u00a0 \u201cYes, you\u2019ll have to get going out of this old goat\u2019s home.\u00a0 I must prepare for another council meeting, and I\u2019d rather not share the road with King Nathaniel\u2019s truant son, if I can avoid it.\u00a0 Change out of your other persona before you leave, though, won\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelvin looked down, realizing that he still wore the green ensemble he\u2019d fashioned together.\u00a0 As Edmund began the ascent up those stairs once more, the prince grumbled to himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t forget,\u201d he muttered.\u00a0 \u201cI was just distracted.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

She stood there, in the doorway, looking at the drapery beside the open window.\u00a0 Those layered curtains, a medley of red and white, danced in the breeze.\u00a0 Her eyes were stained from the tears that she couldn\u2019t shy away from while she stared into that room.<\/p>\n

Queen Selene blamed that on the vision she saw behind those layers of fabric.\u00a0 She could swear she saw her friend there, casting her gaze down upon someone they both adored.\u00a0 That ghost of Marin didn\u2019t look to the bed, but through that opened window into the city.\u00a0 The queen shook her head, taking a moment to blink away the strain she felt in her eyes and in her heart.<\/p>\n

When she opened her eyes again, her friend was gone, as she ever would be.<\/p>\n

So much had changed within that city in so short a time.\u00a0 One thing remained the same though.\u00a0 Selene\u2019s son was just where that flash of Marin was looking.\u00a0 The prince was no more in his bed than he was standing before the queen, as it had been for every night since the Silver Serpent had perished.<\/p>\n

She could only hope that her child was safe out in the shadows.<\/p>\n

Selene, lost within her thoughts, didn\u2019t hear those approaching footsteps at first.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is he?\u201d she heard then.<\/p>\n

Unable to hide her surprise, it was all she could do to stop from leaping into the air.\u00a0 When she glanced to her side, she saw the weary figure of her husband there.\u00a0 On reflex alone, she reached forth, and pulled the door shut.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere isn\u2019t anything to be ashamed about,\u201d Nathaniel said.\u00a0 \u201cMistress Cortes was the first person he\u2019s lost.\u00a0 It\u2019s understandable to be worried about him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe just needs time,\u201d Selene replied in feigned agreement.\u00a0 \u201cWhat of you, my love?\u00a0 You\u2019ve had a trying several days as well.\u201d\u00a0 As she spoke, she guided her husband away from their son\u2019s chambers.<\/p>\n

Nathaniel groaned as he followed his wife\u2019s lead.\u00a0 Together, they walked toward the tower at the end of the hall.\u00a0 \u201cMy father warned me that there would be days like this.\u00a0 Besides the fighting in the streets, word is Peritas is adding to their fleet.\u00a0 As I understand it, we\u2019ve fallen into disarray with our diplomatic efforts in Daltain.\u00a0 And we still have masked mercenaries getting in the way of the work our guards are struggling with.\u201d\u00a0 He shook his head then, scoffing.\u00a0 \u201cAnd all this is going on while I have to pretend I don\u2019t know anything about a coronation anniversary celebration.\u00a0 What a waste of our treasury.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking aside, Selene nodded, but barely clung to any of those last words.\u00a0 She felt his finger under her chin then, and as he pulled her back to him, she could see the care in his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cYou have things closer to our family that you\u2019re concerned with while I\u2019m stretched all over the kingdom.\u00a0 That\u2019s not fair to you, or to Kelvin.\u00a0 When he wakes, I\u2019d like him to spend some time with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The queen reached out and squeezed her husband\u2019s arm.\u00a0 \u201cWhen he wakes,\u201d she agreed.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll remain up here for now.\u00a0 I must choose my attire for the service today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI should be there,\u201d Nathaniel said.\u00a0 \u201cNot for her, but for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Selene swallowed away the tension building in her throat.\u00a0 \u201cI know you are busy.\u00a0 I won\u2019t hold it against you if you can\u2019t be pulled away from your duties.\u201d<\/p>\n

The king slipped his arms around his wife\u2019s and pulled her close.\u00a0 \u201cI will do what I must to see you happy.\u201d\u00a0 He kissed her atop her head then, and as they parted from that embrace, he made his way into the tower.\u00a0 His footsteps echoed throughout that stone structure, until they were muted by the plush carpet on the floor below.<\/p>\n

When Selene returned to the doorway before the prince\u2019s room, she pushed it open once more.\u00a0 In that short time since her husband had found her there, the sun began to rise.\u00a0 Rays of light cast in through the drapery, and before she realized it, she entered that room.\u00a0 Once more, as she had many times before, she found herself leaning against the windowsill, looking up to the sky.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cLet him come home.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

As a cool morning breeze moved through the streets, he found that he couldn\u2019t budge from that spot.\u00a0 He knew he\u2019d been there for a long while, but it wasn\u2019t until someone walked in front of him that he realized he was mesmerized by the sight.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Prince Kelvin,\u201d the citizen spoke.<\/p>\n

Kelvin shook away his stupor and waved to his subject before they had passed too far.\u00a0 Still, he found he couldn\u2019t pry himself away from that house.\u00a0 The door was blocked by a single plank of wood, though no distinctive markings were on it\u2014there was no sign of who had asked for it to be done.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat have they done with your home, Marin?\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

He looked about then, as though just speaking her name was taboo, and he expected someone to hear it.\u00a0 It was that momentary panic that led him to realize how late it was.\u00a0 He looked to the east, seeing the sun peek some of the distant buildings in Argos, and knew any hope of getting rest was scarce.<\/p>\n

Without wasting anymore time, he sprinted up the road.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When the prince came into sight of his home, he shook his head.\u00a0 There was no sense in making his way through his hidden path behind the castle.\u00a0 With the sun in the sky, the guards would have thought nothing of his movements.\u00a0 He offered a nod to the ones patrolling closest to the main entrance, and then hurried inside, careful to avoid anyone who might ask questions or express more concern than he wished.\u00a0 If anyone mentioned anything to either of his parents, it could attract more attention than he desired.<\/p>\n

As he made his way down that main hall through several of the leading chambers in the castle\u2014the banquet hall, the inner courtyard, and a small pair of annexes that led to shrines away from the city\u2019s busy temples\u2014he managed to avoid any glances that would question his dubious arrival at that early hour.<\/p>\n

Just before he reached that corridor that ran off perpendicular to the main hall, he could hear the voices that resonated farther beyond.\u00a0 He knew that his father had likely already made his way to the throne room, abdicating any notion of free time so that he could attend to matters that people couldn\u2019t or wouldn\u2019t handle on their own.\u00a0 Those matters were ever present, Kelvin remembered.\u00a0 He\u2019d sat in on a few of those sessions on occasion, hoping that he could convince his father to take a leave from the castle after one of those events.\u00a0 It was never to be, he knew.\u00a0 The line of people was never-ending.\u00a0 The citizens of Argos had difficulties beyond what they could solve on their own, and even the king\u2019s council could not handle every concern that came before them.<\/p>\n

Nathaniel didn\u2019t have the means to take care of every problem in the city.\u00a0 That was why people like Kelvin and Marin had to do what they did in the alleys of Argos under cover of night.\u00a0 That was why\u2026<\/p>\n

The prince paused again, then, realizing that he kept thinking of things in those old ways.\u00a0 He still supposed that his mentor, the legendary Silver Serpent, would join him in one of his late-night forays.<\/p>\n

But it was not meant to be.\u00a0 Perhaps as Edmund said, she would be in there in spirit, but Kelvin felt that even that was lacking since her untimely passing.<\/p>\n

As he felt those emotions welling up in him again, he ducked into that corridor, hurrying his steps so that he could find some respite in his chamber.<\/p>\n

That climb up the tower felt so much further then, and he almost couldn\u2019t bear to pass into the adjoining hallway.\u00a0 How could he feel at home in that castle when he hardly felt at home in his own skin?<\/p>\n

He peered down the hallway and breathed out a sigh of relief when he noticed that no one appeared to be nearby.<\/p>\n

When he ran to his room and swung open the door, however, he tensed up at once, for his mother was there at the window, gazing out into the city.<\/p>\n

Kelvin thought to pull the door shut once more and venture to the castle\u2019s library, but before he could reach the knob, his mother had already cleared her throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been waiting her since before dawn,\u201d she revealed, then.\u00a0 \u201cYou know you aren\u2019t supposed to leave the castle grounds before first light\u2014not without a guard watching over you.\u201d\u00a0 She turned toward him then, and he could see the disappointment on her face\u2014or was it worry?\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not safe in the streets of the city just yet.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want what happened to\u2026\u201d\u00a0 The queen\u2019s words trailed off, and she looked about as though she were searching for some way to end that thought in a manner that would be less painful for both of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was your friend,\u201d Kelvin recollected.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t as though it was the first time he understood that, but in that moment, he knew that someone else probably hurt as much as he did for her loss.\u00a0 \u201cI always forget that you knew her before you knew me,\u201d the prince said.\u00a0 That statement came off as a bit of a tease, and his mother narrowed her eyes, mocking annoyance by those words.<\/p>\n

Finally, Selene nodded.\u00a0 \u201cMarin was my friend before I even met your father, you know.\u00a0 She might be the person I knew longest who was still in this world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you going to do now that she\u2019s gone?\u201d Kelvin asked.<\/p>\n

His mother moved away from that window then, taking a seat upon his bed.\u00a0 She alternated glances at him and the floor.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m going to try to remember the good times.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to remember that we once were happy together.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to remember that even though she didn\u2019t have any children of her own, she loved me enough to help me raise one of my sons.\u00a0 And I\u2019ll remember that she did a wonderful job in that endeavor.\u201d<\/p>\n

The prince squared his jaw at that comment and found himself moving across the room to sit beside the queen.\u00a0 He set his head on her shoulder, wrapping his arm around her side.<\/p>\n

She leaned over as well, her head sitting atop his.\u00a0 \u201cToday will be a difficult one for us both, my son.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

He sat in that room beside the woman, holding her hand.\u00a0 Edmund rubbed his thumb against her fingers every time he felt a trembling raise up in her body.\u00a0 Neither of them looked at one another, their gazes instead drawn to the man in the cot in the center of that small room.<\/p>\n

\u201cNerian will recover, Diana\u201d Edmund said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sure of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though he was an advisor for the king, he found that trying to play the same role for his sister was not so easy a thing.\u00a0 She feared the worst, still remembering the sight of her son when they brought her to the infirmary to see him.\u00a0 Blood caked all of his face, and she couldn\u2019t tell what had caused his injuries. \u00a0The reasons were manifold, though, she learned.\u00a0 Some of that blood was from enemies he had bested, but most of it was from him.\u00a0 Shrapnel left his face looking ragged, and the ferocity of the explosion left his face burnt and scarred.<\/p>\n

Her son no longer bore the brunt of that damage, but there were scars there that the medics were certain would never fade.\u00a0 The right side of his face looked as though it was scrubbed off.\u00a0 That explosive device left him tattered.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe may wake,\u201d Diana conceded.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t believe he\u2019ll ever recover.\u00a0 We had a physician here who said that he may never walk again.\u201d<\/p>\n

A forced grin was upon Edmund\u2019s face then.\u00a0 He tapped his hand against her wrist and pulled away, knowing that she was going to need that moment of doubt.<\/p>\n

Still, he couldn\u2019t help but instill her with that dollop of hope instead.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was good that you found a physician,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cThey often have a more direct way of seeing things.\u00a0 But you shouldn\u2019t discount the gods, you know.\u00a0 Faith is often the greatest healing, and it\u2019s always in abundance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do the gods know about healing,\u201d his sister said.\u00a0 \u201cWhere were they when a mob was making their way through the streets of Argos?\u201d\u00a0 She realized the harshness of her words\u2014both in her tone to her brother, and in her blasphemy of the gods.\u00a0 Diana buried her face in her hands then, worried that she might have just invoked their wrath.<\/p>\n

Perhaps Nerian would never wake up.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI know I shouldn\u2019t be this cynical.\u00a0 My son still breathes, and that is a miracle all on its own right now.\u00a0 I just\u2026I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever grow used to what he does.\u00a0 He isn\u2019t like you and me, Edmund.\u00a0 He\u2019s like his father, and his uncle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe won\u2019t meet the same fate,\u201d the king\u2019s advisor promised.\u00a0 \u201cWe won\u2019t let it.\u00a0 We\u2019ll do whatever we can to keep him with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded.\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps I should go to the temple to pray for his recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be passing a shrine on my way to my council meeting,\u201d Edmund said as he rose from his seat.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll stop in and say a prayer for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diana reached out and grabbed her brother by the crook of his elbow.\u00a0 She pulled him closer, placing his hand against her brow.\u00a0 \u201cThank you for visiting with us.\u00a0 You don\u2019t know how much it means to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s my nephew,\u201d Edmund said.\u00a0 \u201cI want him to be well as much as you do.\u201d\u00a0 He squeezed her shoulder as he walked past.<\/p>\n

Soon after, he was outside in the streets of Argos, not far from the castle.\u00a0 The meeting with the rest of the king\u2019s council would begin shortly, and he had that one extra stop to make, he knew. \u00a0Without hesitation, he made his way to the west, hopeful that the darker days were finally behind the city.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t simply send the Argosian fleet to Norkoth and fire upon the lagano and hope the wind will guide our volleys,\u201d Bellweather argued then.\u00a0 \u201cThe lizards are too far inland and trying to surmount some kind of naval authority over them would take too long.\u00a0 Peritas could notice the movement of our ships and take that as an invitation to strike.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll due respect, but if we don\u2019t send someone to Norkoth to try and secure the mines there, we may not have the means to keep up with the opposing fleets anyway.\u00a0 Wars are won with iron, Jonathan.\u00a0 We won\u2019t have enough to keep our soldiers armed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWars are won with money,\u201d the king\u2019s treasurer protested.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s my job to determine how to spend Nathaniel\u2019s coin, and I\u2019m certain when I tell you, spending money to hire mercenaries to do the job our fleet should be doing anyway is as flawed as it is pointless.\u00a0 We\u2019d be no closer to earning resources that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what do you suggest?\u201d Bellweather pressed.\u00a0 \u201cYou won\u2019t be making much money at all if the kingdom is overrun.\u00a0 Or do you have a reserve plan in store in just such an occasion?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s enough,\u201d they heard then.\u00a0 After only a few moments, they saw the third member of their group cross stone bridge that led to their meeting place.\u00a0 Edmund wore a scowl that they could detect even from there.\u00a0 \u201cI can hear you both arguing from the castle proper.\u00a0 If my old ears can detect you with ease, what do you think that means of all the young, able-bodied servants inside?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d Jonathan said as Edmund took his seat.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s been a difficult few days, and we\u2019re all still on edge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is your nephew?\u201d Bellweather asked.\u00a0 \u201cI heard he was on the front lines when that uprising occurred a few nights ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Edmund shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s as alright as can be hoped for as of now.\u00a0 What about your own boy?\u00a0 He had his own issues of late, didn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was an odd happening at the Leister Music House,\u201d the other advisor said.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s still recovering as well, but the clerics aren\u2019t so sure he\u2019ll ever be fully restored.\u00a0 The damage was beyond what they\u2019d ever seen, according to Brother Wallace.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis council has had its share of misfortune over the past few days,\u201d Edmund mused.\u00a0 \u201cWhere is Greenboro?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jonathan sat straighter in his seat and opened his mouth to speak before thinking better of it.\u00a0 A moment later, went ahead anyway, aware that keeping his secret would not end well.\u00a0 \u201cYou two are not the only ones with family problems.\u00a0 Mister Greenboro has sequestered himself in his manor, because he\u2019s been unable to shake the truth from his recollection.\u00a0 While the guards were trying to liberate the city from the shadow organization that found they were endowed with new abilities, some of our people were\u2026not quite themselves.\u00a0 Timothy\u2019s sister was among the mob that had no control.\u00a0 Since Nerian was hurt in that same excursion, he\u2019s been a little wary about coming here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s nonsense,\u201d Edmund said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s as you said.\u00a0 People were stripped of their free will.\u00a0 They served a madman even though they had no choice in the matter.\u00a0 Timothy should have come to me.\u00a0 I hold no ill will toward him, or his sister.\u201d\u00a0 He leaned back in his chair, thinking about all the terrible things that had wrapped up not only the king\u2019s council in recent days, but the city as a whole as well.\u00a0 His gaze made their way to the other empty seat there at the table as well\u2014one that had only been sat once before its owner passed away.\u00a0 \u201cIt really has been an awful run of luck for the lot of us, hasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all yet live,\u201d Bellweather said with a shrug.\u00a0 \u201cAs I understand it, there was some loss of life, but none that affect the state of our city so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Edmund grew tense as those words reached his ears.\u00a0 He wanted to cry out, to demand that his peer acknowledge that Marin Cortes had just as much to offer to Argos as any of the men seated at that table.\u00a0 He knew better than, and bit his tongue before he could make any impassioned comments.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll have an abbreviated meeting,\u201d the eldest advisor said then, opting to steer the conversation away from the topic of that fateful night that pitted the citizens of Argos against one another.\u00a0 \u201cBefore I arrived here, you both grew loud about something. \u00a0What caused such a volume among the two of you, and what couldn\u2019t wait until I arrived?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jonathan couldn\u2019t refrain from flashing a grin at the older fellow.\u00a0 \u201cI thought you could hear us from inside the castle?\u201d\u00a0 When his teasing jibe wasn\u2019t accepted with as much mirth as he\u2019d hoped, he shifted and bowed his head.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s nothing quite worth worrying about yet, but one of our mines in southern Arthica seems to be running dry lately.\u00a0 Our workers haven\u2019t been able to produce much workable alloy, and that puts us in a very bad situation with Peritas.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been growing our military base almost side by side with them for the past decade,\u201d Bellweather added then.\u00a0 \u201cNow that we\u2019re set to struggle, Peritas may have the chance to outgrow us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if they can outgrow us, they can outmaneuver us,\u201d Jonathan said.<\/p>\n

Tapping his knuckles against the table, Edmund looked to Bellweather then.\u00a0 \u201cWhen I first heard your arguments, you mentioned Norkoth.\u00a0 Argos has steered clear of that island for centuries.\u00a0 Why would we go back there now?\u201d<\/p>\n

Bellweather lifted his hands to quiet the other men.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s true, we\u2019ve been told to avoid that island for much longer than any of us have been alive.\u00a0 However, we haven\u2019t been very good at listening.\u00a0 Several times over the past decade, we\u2019ve had spies land on the island and try to see what information they could garner from it.\u201d\u00a0 He reached under the table then, and plucked a rolled piece of parchment off the ground then.\u00a0 A moment later, he had it unfurled, rolled out atop the table.\u00a0 Within a moment, he pointed to a few different places on the map, bringing the other advisors\u2019 attention to the parchment.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s difficult terrain to get a proper feel for\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA dense jungle, a sweltering volcano and an indigenous people that want nothing more than to rend the flesh from our bones?\u201d Edmund mused.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll give you the jungle,\u201d Bellweather said.\u00a0 \u201cThat wouldn\u2019t be a journey I\u2019d want to take part in.\u00a0 But the lagano don\u2019t care about our people,\u201d he insisted.\u00a0 \u201cSuffice it to say, on more than one occasion, our spies have crossed paths with them\u2014never declaring themselves as subjects of Argos of course\u2014but they\u2019ve made it out to tell the tales of their meetings.\u00a0 The tales of the lagano savagery may be exaggerated.\u00a0 And as for Norkoth\u2019s volcano, we have nothing to worry about.\u00a0 It\u2019s been dormant for some time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve really done a lot of research on this foreign island,\u201d Edmund said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has a great deal of untapped potential,\u201d Bellweather said.\u00a0 \u201cIf we approach it from the right angle, it could elevate us far beyond Peritas.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s as Jonathan says,\u201d the eldest advisor pressed.\u00a0 \u201cIf we send our resources there and things do not unfold as we expect them to, we may give Peritas the head start they need to eventually overtake us, not only on the island of Arthica, but in the greater theater in the southern seas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bellweather grumbled and tilted back in his chair.\u00a0 \u201cI understand.\u00a0 It seems I\u2019ve become a bit outnumbered here.\u00a0 You know: if Greenboro was here, we\u2019d be all tied up, and we\u2019d be arguing about who to nominate for the other seat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe still may,\u201d Jonathan teased.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll admit, your plan has some merit.\u00a0 I do think, though, that sending Nathaniel\u2019s forces to an island crawling with lizardfolk may end up freeing up another seat on this council.\u00a0 But what if there was another way?\u00a0 And what if we could use that other method to fill that seat over there?\u201d<\/p>\n

Edmund arched his eyebrow then.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you on about then?\u201d<\/p>\n

A confident grin was already on Jonathan\u2019s face before his peer finished speaking.\u00a0 \u201cHiring a fleet of sailors that fly the king\u2019s flag would be costly and could potentially open up suspicions from our foes.\u00a0 But if we sent one ship that was crewed by sellswords that were prepared to protect laborers who would set up our mine for us\u2014including setting up protective measures therein, of course\u2014we could save coin, fulfill the plan and we would have plausible deniability should Peritas accuse us of some kind of underhanded ploy.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, this wouldn\u2019t be an easy task, and it certainly wouldn\u2019t be recommended for someone without a certain leadership and charisma,\u201d Jonathan went on.\u00a0 \u201cIf one were to take on such a difficult task as this, they\u2019d earn quite the merits from the king.\u00a0 One would earn praise from us as well, I\u2019d wager.\u00a0 Perhaps one would even earn that seat over there, wouldn\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n

A chortle shook Edmund as he shook his head and looked away.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I suppose you already know the \u2018one\u2019 you\u2019d recommend for this endeavor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have an incredibly short list,\u201d Jonathan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBring him in,\u201d Bellweather said.\u00a0 \u201cIf this is the smarter decision\u2014and it may be\u2014I\u2019ll endorse a suitable candidate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jonathan let a grin spread his lips.\u00a0 \u201cWho said anything about \u2018him\u2019?\u00a0 I believe, in this case, that the right man for the job is a woman.\u00a0 I\u2019ll summon for Erinys (Torna), and have her attend our next meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a start,\u201d Edmund pressed.\u00a0 \u201cNow that we\u2019re making some progress with the issues at hand, perhaps we can move through the rest without much delay.\u00a0 There\u2019s still the matter of King Nathaniel\u2019s coronation to go over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aware that there was still much to discuss, the men opened their leather-bound tomes, and brought out their quills, ready to continue their business.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

The room was impossibly dark, and the man found that he tripped into several of the items strewn across the floor then.\u00a0 Exasperated, he grumbled and stopped where he was, considering his options.\u00a0 He narrowed his eyes\u2014not because he was trying to see any better in that darkness, but because he had an idea worth trying.\u00a0 The man dragged his thumb across his brow, gathering up the sweat that gathered just at his hairline.\u00a0 Once he was satisfied with that, he held out his hand.\u00a0 By willing the flame to life, it was as if his thumb had become a candle.<\/p>\n

That old warehouse was illuminated then.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t much to go on, but the man saw the final resting place of those old, dilapidated trade goods, and better traced his path.<\/p>\n

Though the warehouse was no longer used for its intended purposes, it wasn\u2019t without its use to the new tenants.\u00a0 Walls had been fashioned in some places, closing up the place and leaving it somewhat less exposed.\u00a0 He\u2019d made his way through the area several times before, but each new return left him feeling somewhat mystified.\u00a0 It was as though every time, its inhabitants moved things from one side of the building to the other.<\/p>\n

There was no sense of familiarity there.<\/p>\n

He only knew he drew close when he realized the sound of the crackling flame on his finger had dissipated.\u00a0 The fire still wavered and danced, but there was no sizzling noise there.\u00a0 The man tapped his foot for good measure, and when he couldn\u2019t hear it reporting against the wooden floor, he was sure he was where he meant to be.<\/p>\n

As he looked up, four distant torches lit on the other side of that final, long chamber.\u00a0 He could only see the fellow across the way by the glistening of his brow.\u00a0 Those torches must have been hot indeed.<\/p>\n

He started to speak but couldn\u2019t ignore how foolish he felt when the words didn\u2019t leave his lips.\u00a0 No, they never even formed in his throat, he remembered.\u00a0 Whatever power that man wielded, it prevented any sound from entering the air around him.\u00a0 If a bull came crashing through the wall beside him, there wouldn\u2019t be a snort, a thud, a clatter\u2014nothing.<\/p>\n

The visitor took several steps back, dragging his feet across the floor.\u00a0 When he finally heard his boots shuffling against the grain of those wooden planks, he let out a sigh of relief\u2014one he could hear.\u00a0 Several other intentional sounds were produced and listened to: the clearing of his throat; the sniffing of the crated goods that still remained in the warehouse; the snapping of his fingers as he willed that solitary flame on his thumb away.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t meet the Silver Serpent today,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cWe thought we had him, but it was just some kid in an imitated outfit.\u00a0 We\u2019re getting closer, though.\u00a0 I can feel it.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was only silence in return, and the man attending the meeting at the warehouse wondered if that fellow across the way in the chair was able to hear him from that distance.\u00a0 That time he did narrow his eyes to see well.\u00a0 That dark-skinned young man moved his lips, but no sound reached him across the way.<\/p>\n

The man who could summon fire clicked his tongue and stepped forward, back into the sphere of that magical soundlessness.<\/p>\n

Not everything was silent, he remembered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Silver Serpent is the only thing that could stand in our way,\u201d he heard.\u00a0 Those words reached him as a garbled, distant hum, as though he were lying at the bottom of a pool of water and could just barely make out the words of someone standing above.\u00a0 He could also tell by the cadence of that statement that it wasn\u2019t the first time those words were said.\u00a0 \u201cWhile he still draws breath, our plans cannot be brought to fruition.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a nod, the visitor stepped back, that time before trying to speak in that zone of silence.\u00a0 \u201cAfter what happened in the city a week back, this city has taken on a whole new life.\u00a0 There are more people like you and I than ever.\u00a0 The Silver Serpent has his hands full, and I\u2019m guessing that\u2019s why we saw his impersonator instead.\u00a0 You have my word though, we\u2019ll find him.\u00a0 Next time I see that other fool I\u2019ll take him out myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t wait to see the man on the other side of the room speak that time.<\/p>\n

\u201cSee that you do,\u201d those rich, deep words resonated.\u00a0 \u201cI can feel that time is running out.\u00a0 We have to move soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

The visitor nodded.\u00a0 \u201cThis job would be easier with another body out there in the streets,\u201d he said when he was clear of the quiet.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s ready, I know it.\u00a0 Let me bring her out into the world and really put her powers to the test.\u00a0 Between the two of us, we\u2019ll definitely be able to track down the Serpent.\u201d<\/p>\n

That time, the man at the back of that long chamber said nothing.\u00a0 The persistent silence in that sphere of influence left the visitor feeling uneasy, until he saw that plaintive nod across the way.<\/p>\n

With a smile on his face, the guest pivoted on his heel, and headed back the way he came.\u00a0 With another set of eyes, he would surely find the Silver Serpent, even if he had to scour all of Argos to do it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

He sat alone in his room, his mother long before vacating his room in order to prepare for the services of that day.\u00a0 Kelvin looked out into the open sky, wondering how such a sad occasion could occur on such a beautiful day.<\/p>\n

He blew out a steadying breath as he climbed from his seat on that cushy mattress and made his way to the window that the queen stood at not long before.\u00a0 Those golden rings appeared on the outside of his irises, and he looked at all those places in his father\u2019s kingdom that reminded him of the events that led them to that point in time: The Leister Music House, where he found out about the woman he and Marin called the Banshee; far beyond the city where the tops of two old towers connected by a bridge, where he found a dependable ally; the old overlook near the center of town where a hero fell\u2026<\/p>\n

The prince played that image over in his head, again and again.\u00a0 Was there something he could have done?\u00a0 Was there some way he could have taken Marin\u2019s place?<\/p>\n

Remembering the details of that night sent a cold shiver up his spine.\u00a0 There was tremendous loss to all of Argos because of the senseless violence that Jerrod Vela brought upon the city.\u00a0 Scores of people lost their lives, and tens more had to live with what dark deeds they carried out while under the influence of someone they didn\u2019t even recall.<\/p>\n

Jerrod\u2019s sway was still present in the city, Kelvin knew.\u00a0 While the Brotherhood had been fractured, the thought that they had found everyone was a foolish notion.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why I have to keep going out there, night after night,\u201d the prince whispered.\u00a0 He realized that he had spoken to no one in particular, but when he heard those words echoing in his head again, he imagined Marin standing there in back of him, looking over his shoulder and telling him not to be so brazen and bold.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t get to tell me those things anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

That memory\u2014that ghost of his mentor\u2014said nothing while he imagined it.\u00a0 When he blinked away his enhanced vision, and turned to try and spot Marin, she trailed away like smoke on an extinguished fire.<\/p>\n

Left alone, Kelvin bowed his head.\u00a0 In that dejected state, his eyes drifted to the trunk that he kept beneath his bed.\u00a0 Once, he kept his attire there, but no more.\u00a0 That green outfit he wore was safely in place at Edmund\u2019s manor.\u00a0 The old advisor had taken another set as well, that one silver and fashioned for a woman.\u00a0 Marin\u2019s tricorne hat was hidden with her outfit as well.<\/p>\n

That trunk though, that held something far more important to him.\u00a0 He looked to the door, satisfied that it was closed enough for him to satisfy his curiosity.\u00a0 Kelvin fell upon his knees, and pulled the chest from beneath the bed, careful to flip the latch up in silence.\u00a0 When he swept the lid open, it was like Marin was there in the room again.<\/p>\n

The white-handled rapier caught a glimmer of sunlight and reflected it all around the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone has to carry on the legacy,\u201d he whispered to the sword.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not ready to be the Silver Serpent yet, but I\u2019ll do what I can to become worthy in your eyes.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be waiting for a sign.\u201d\u00a0 He ran his fingers along the edge of the trunk, almost too reverent to draw too close to the sword.\u00a0 After one more glance at the blade, he closed the lid, and pushed the chest back under his bed.<\/p>\n

That should have been the only goodbye he needed to say to Marin, but he knew better.<\/p>\n

It was going to be a long day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapter One: Undying Legacy   Shadows moved across the stone fa\u00e7ade, and the sounds of rapid footsteps echoed out into the slumbering city.\u00a0 Neither of those sprinters uttered a word, but their conversation was implied. If she was caught, she wouldn\u2019t make it out of the neighborhood alive. Neither of them saw the dark silhouette […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1UVey-5Zb","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23013"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23013"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23013\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23014,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23013\/revisions\/23014"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}