RE: Monarch

“It is done,” Vogrin said.

“Quick.” Sera frowned. “Maybe a little too quick. I know you’re the favorite, but I can’t help but wonder how much time it will take him to put it together.”

“It won’t be long.” I reached down to rub the shadow panther’s face and was rewarded with a deep rumbling purr. “A few hours at most before he either thinks through it or decides it doesn’t matter. Maybe less than that before one of Thaddeus’s countless ears catch word and tell him I’m alive and nowhere near Topside.” I pointed to the training doll and spoke in Panthanian. “Hold and threaten.”

Like a doused torch, Kerai’s demeanor flipped cold, a meanness coming into his visage before he’d even turned around. When he did, he was a blur, claws clicking on dappled wood in a rapid staccato as he rushed across the room in a blur and leapt, sinking its teeth into the arm and tackling the dummy off its girder. Loud growls and intermittent shakes alternated, intended to keep the target occupied.

“Halt.”

Immediately Kerai stopped, intelligent golden eyes shining with interest. They seemed to say “let me do it, let me do it.”

“Release.”

Kerai opened his mouth and dropped the arm, releasing it with an audible plop.

“Heel.”

Again, the obedience was instantaneous, though he seemed less thrilled with the command as he came to rest at my side. I scratched him behind the ears until he purred again. There were enough people packed into surroundings to make the spacious noble’s home seem cramped. Beside me, Lord Erebus reached in his pocket and retrieved something, holding his arm out. The abyssal panther snapped the treat from his fingers immediately, watching the creature with fascination.

“Appreciate you training him. I’ve been… rather busy since my return.” Across the room, I caught Maya’s eye and gestured for her to come over.

Erebus chuckled. “If I were at all interested in playing the noble game, I’d use this opportunity to subtly communicate how difficult it was to tame a full grown wildcat in an attempt to curry favor. But in truth, he was easy.”

“And my respect for you grows. Also, it makes little difference to me either way so long as it’s a language I’m capable of speaking, but why Panthanian?” I asked. The panther padded over to Maya as she approached and nuzzled her leg.

“It’s a good second language for any noble—as you know, given that you speak it.”

“Not particularly well, but yes.”

“It is my husband’s native tongue.” Erebus shrugged. “One day we were arguing—harmless banter, nothing serious—and we noticed we had an observer very interested in every word.” He glanced down at the panther, who was clearly enjoying Maya’s affections. “Leo told him to stop gawking and go put his nose in the corner. Confused the hells out of both of us when he actually did.”

“Odd. I always thought he was unnaturally attentive to Common.” I turned to the panther.

“True.” Maya agreed. “There were times I’d rant to him on the way out of the Everwood, and he seemed to genuinely understand me.”

Erebus nodded. “This is not uncommon for big cats. If you hold their interest and respect, they are naturals at interpreted body language and repetitive verbiage. But this level of comprehension is entirely different. We tested him extensively at great length. He understands complex combinations of words and can carry out equally difficult commands with shocking proficiency.”

“So it follows that he was previously trained, and whoever his master was spoke Panthanian.” I mused.

“That seems to be the case.” Erebus’s brow wrinkled. “Though how a Panthanian fluent, exhaustively trained animal came to dwell in the Everwood is beyond me.”

“It’s a common second language among the educated. There are even a few infernal tutors in the Sanctum that will teach it—though they don’t see many students.” Maya said, rising from a knee. “If Kerai was trained for defense purposes—”

“He almost certainly was.” Erebus agreed. “There are far less risky animals to work with for nobles who want exotic pets that look intimidating.”

“Then it makes sense to train him in something other than Common, no? You’d be able to command him in a crisis with less worry that those commands were understood.”

Erebus rubbed his chin. “Yes, that’s a recurring school of thought. But if you were going to make such an investment, it seems a waste to do so in Panthanian. Something more cryptic and obscure would serve better in that regard. My guess—just judging from his extensive vocabulary—is that his previous master was a native speaker. Which leaves us with a far more puzzling picture.” He turned to me, clearly irritated. “Are you sure you do not wish for my house’s assistance in this matter?”

I shook my head. “You’ve already been a boundless resource. I couldn’t possibly ask for more.”

“That would not chafe so badly if House Westmore did not reside half a mile down the street, and you were not already tapping House Vasemoux for aid.” Erebus said.

“It is a matter of caution, my lord.” Maya chimed in, slipping into her practiced political demeanor easily. “With the combined aid of the remaining regiment and House Vasemoux, we have all the resources we need for this encounter. Revealing you as an existing ally could potentially put us at a disadvantage in the future.”

She was leaving out, of course, that events over the last few hours had a high chance of sending my father into a rage. By far the riskiest part of this plan, and most dangerous. The king didn’t respond well to being tricked. The less people I could present to him to punish, the better.

“Intimidation is paramount. You realize it’s what this plan of yours comes down to, correct?” Erebus looked between us. “And House Westmore does not respond to intimidation well. They will stall, and they are accustomed to stalling such matters for months, while you are limited to hours.”

Maya and I exchanged a look.

“We’ve got something for that. They’ll break.” I said.

Erebus breathed a frustrated sigh. “I’ll admit, I cannot see it.” He regarded us thoughtfully. “But perhaps the mild-mannered prince has another side yet to reveal. Do remember that your actions here will be poured over by the other houses and considered in their future dealings with you.”

I felt Sera watching me, as I answered. “I’ll take that under advisement. But I have a feeling there won’t be many rumors, coming out of House Westmore at least.”

Erebus nodded grimly. I let him draw his own conclusions, knowing the result was likely to surprise him. He wished us luck, bowed, and excused himself. I looked around, knowing full-well it might be the last time I saw this iteration of my allies. Maya appeared as confident and unbothered as always. But her stone face was a facade. It had been her idea, and she’d readily agreed to play the part, but I knew how it must wear on her.

A few span to his left, Kilvius was ready. Though he was lounging on a couch, feet up on an ottoman, I could see it in the tension in his muscles. He felt coiled like a spring. The end result would benefit him more than anyone, and once he’d realized that, his reservations toward me seemed to disappear.

Mari and Zin whispered to each other in the corner, frequently glancing at me, faces filled with the gaunt shadows of concerned lieutenants. It was no small thing, going up against a noble house, largely because the consequences of such a conflict could extend far beyond the initial clash. I could only hope I’d inspired enough loyalty for them to stay the course.

Only Sera seemed truly unsettled. She’d been quiet ever since we’d hammered out the details, and was looking at me strangely, waiting for a moment to talk to me. Maya seemed to pick up on this and took her leave, calling for Kerai to follow her. I watched as she joined Mari and Zin, introducing them to the animal and derailing the conversation.

The thought occurred to me that I needed to do something nice for her, after this. She’d slipped into the role of my right hand so effortlessly and smoothly that sometimes I forgot everything she was doing. Working in the background, evaluating allies, shielding me from countless threats.

“Cairn.” Sera rubbed her arm. “I’m not sure that I can do this.”

“That’s alright.” I nodded slowly. “I’ve said it before but it bears repeating. You’re your own person. You can opt out of whatever you’re not comfortable with at any time.”

My sister scowled. “No, that’s not—Annoying little shit that she is, I do want to help Annette. And I’m going to try. I’m just not sure if I can.”

“Why?”

“Because something about it feels wrong. I know they’re slavers and criminals, but still. Slaying your enemy in battle is the natural order. This by comparison feels…”

“Evil?” I prompted.

“Yes.” Sera admitted.

“If it makes you feel any better, it’s not exactly a tactic I came up with off the top of my head.” I mused. “It was someone else’s. Used to devastating effect. And she wasn’t pulling her punches. It might seem extreme, but Erebus is right. At this moment they feel safe. Naturally, they’re more scared of the king than they are of me. We need to correct that, quickly. Make them feel desperate from the jump. Layering shock after shock makes it difficult to think, stops anyone in leadership from scheming their way out.”

There was a long hesitation. “Only one, right?”

I nodded. “Zin will handle the other. You can just stand there and look intimidating. After the opening moves, no one will be thinking too hard about the magic at play.”

“How do I stand?”

I nearly laughed, suppressing it at the last second. This side of Sera was entirely new. I wasn’t sure when she’d lost her ego or how temporary it was, but if she was willing to learn, I was more than willing to teach.

“Stand up straight, now stoop from your shoulders.” I studied her. The harrowed expression she’d been carrying since her rescue worked for her in the less refined posture, but she needed something more. “May I?”

Sera nodded, grimacing as I messed up her hair, pulling her blonde bangs that typically framed the sides of her head in front of her face. With the grimace and hair, she looked unhinged, dangerous.

“Perfect.”