preferring to proceed on foot to Iulius.” Mindful of the traitor who was still at large, Orianus told only Merula and Anthea that Dacien might be in Iulius. When rumors began to circulate, claiming that some accident had befallen his son, Orianus made no effort to dispel them.
“Dacien will be safer if the Goblins believe he is dead, for once he learns that Elerian is slain and Anthea rescued, he will certainly attempt to return to Tarsius,” reasoned the king to himself. Merula expressed the same opinion, as did Lepida, but in their own minds, each had the same thought.
“If he does not return, then only Orianus remains between me and the throne,” both of them mused to themselves. Merula and Lepida each contacted Torquatus in secret at different times to inform him that Dacien might be in Iulius, affording the Dark King a great deal of amusement as they unknowingly conspired against each other.
In the days that followed, Lepida played her part so well that neither Orianus nor anyone else had any reason to believe that she was not Anthea. She was constantly in the company of Merula and the king as they went about the business of the kingdom, taking an especial interest in all things military. Taking the greatest care to arouse no suspicions, she learned the strengths and weaknesses of all the fortresses in the kingdom, their locations, the number of men who guarded them, and many other vital secrets in preparation for the day when she would open a path for her Dark King’s army to invade the kingdom. In her mind’s eye, she already pictured herself as the queen of the Tarsians, fantasizing how she would rule them according to her cruel desires when she ascended to Orianus’s throne.
THE COUNCIL
The carriage carrying Elerian and his two companions arrived in Iulius just before dawn on the day after Merula’s rescue of Lepida. Elerian had not dared the dream paths again, for he realized now that he had come uncomfortably close to entering an eternal sleep from which only death could release him, and that Ascilius had likely saved his life by using his prank to return him to awareness before the thread joining him to his waking life faded away. The anger and resentment that lingered in his heart toward his erstwhile friend prevented him from making any expression of gratitude, however.
“I can forgive him everything except his callousness towards Anthea’s torment,” thought Elerian grimly to himself. “The cold logic of his race has become more than I can bear.”
Ascilius left his companions as soon as the carriage arrived in the stables of Iulius, determined to speak to Dardanus as soon as possible. After conducting Elerian and Dacien to the same quarters that Elerian and Ascilius had occupied before they left Iulius, Falco also excused himself to conduct business of his own. An awkward silence prevailed between Elerian and Dacien as they took seats before the small fire that burned in the hearth, its yellow flames crackling as they consumed the thick logs of ash laid upon the grate. As Elerian laid the treasure bags he carried with him at his feet, Dacien, trying to judge the mood of his companion, cast a sidelong look at Elerian who sat to his left. The impatience and anger that had burned in him two days ago appeared to have faded, for the careworn face of the illusion he wore was now despondent as if a deep melancholy had overtaken him.
“Whence comes this depression that is so plainly written on his features?” wondered Dacien worriedly to himself. “Has he by his arts learned ill news of Anthea’s fate? I had best attempt to repair our friendship so that we can speak of it.”
“I am sorry that I struck you, Elerian,” he said hesitantly, unsure of how Elerian would respond to his apology. With an effort, Elerian roused himself and turned to Dacien, studying the haggard face of the Tarsian for a moment. Now that he knew the grim future that awaited him, he no longer felt any
“Dacien will be safer if the Goblins believe he is dead, for once he learns that Elerian is slain and Anthea rescued, he will certainly attempt to return to Tarsius,” reasoned the king to himself. Merula expressed the same opinion, as did Lepida, but in their own minds, each had the same thought.
“If he does not return, then only Orianus remains between me and the throne,” both of them mused to themselves. Merula and Lepida each contacted Torquatus in secret at different times to inform him that Dacien might be in Iulius, affording the Dark King a great deal of amusement as they unknowingly conspired against each other.
In the days that followed, Lepida played her part so well that neither Orianus nor anyone else had any reason to believe that she was not Anthea. She was constantly in the company of Merula and the king as they went about the business of the kingdom, taking an especial interest in all things military. Taking the greatest care to arouse no suspicions, she learned the strengths and weaknesses of all the fortresses in the kingdom, their locations, the number of men who guarded them, and many other vital secrets in preparation for the day when she would open a path for her Dark King’s army to invade the kingdom. In her mind’s eye, she already pictured herself as the queen of the Tarsians, fantasizing how she would rule them according to her cruel desires when she ascended to Orianus’s throne.
THE COUNCIL
The carriage carrying Elerian and his two companions arrived in Iulius just before dawn on the day after Merula’s rescue of Lepida. Elerian had not dared the dream paths again, for he realized now that he had come uncomfortably close to entering an eternal sleep from which only death could release him, and that Ascilius had likely saved his life by using his prank to return him to awareness before the thread joining him to his waking life faded away. The anger and resentment that lingered in his heart toward his erstwhile friend prevented him from making any expression of gratitude, however.
“I can forgive him everything except his callousness towards Anthea’s torment,” thought Elerian grimly to himself. “The cold logic of his race has become more than I can bear.”
Ascilius left his companions as soon as the carriage arrived in the stables of Iulius, determined to speak to Dardanus as soon as possible. After conducting Elerian and Dacien to the same quarters that Elerian and Ascilius had occupied before they left Iulius, Falco also excused himself to conduct business of his own. An awkward silence prevailed between Elerian and Dacien as they took seats before the small fire that burned in the hearth, its yellow flames crackling as they consumed the thick logs of ash laid upon the grate. As Elerian laid the treasure bags he carried with him at his feet, Dacien, trying to judge the mood of his companion, cast a sidelong look at Elerian who sat to his left. The impatience and anger that had burned in him two days ago appeared to have faded, for the careworn face of the illusion he wore was now despondent as if a deep melancholy had overtaken him.
“Whence comes this depression that is so plainly written on his features?” wondered Dacien worriedly to himself. “Has he by his arts learned ill news of Anthea’s fate? I had best attempt to repair our friendship so that we can speak of it.”
“I am sorry that I struck you, Elerian,” he said hesitantly, unsure of how Elerian would respond to his apology. With an effort, Elerian roused himself and turned to Dacien, studying the haggard face of the Tarsian for a moment. Now that he knew the grim future that awaited him, he no longer felt any
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