The Burning Flowers

Chapter I

Princess Ilirianna Iiji sat quietly with her head resting up against the glass of her bedroom window as she gazed down at the city of Erika far down below. She could see everything from the Citadel to the western walls, and as her dark blue eyes scanned the sprawling masses of buildings and streets, they eventually came to rest on the Academy of Erika, which was identifiable even from her position on the second floor to the top of the massive tower that was her home. She could see the stadium where the orientation fights had taken place, as well as the canopy of the large tree that was the Department of Nature, and as she gazed at the school, she couldn’t help but let out a sigh of irritation at the fact that, even a week later, she still didn’t know what she was going to do about her royal team.

And here I was, thinking the biggest issue was going to be choosing a group that was undeserving. The Noctalus team performing to my standards really should have solved all of my problems, yet I’m still stuck in this damn debate over what to do.

If circumstances were different, Ilirianna would not have hesitated to pick the team her parents urged her to choose given how magnificently Abigail and Ryokumo Caeli performed. Even Nigreos Noctis, who might not have reached the standards set by his father, was still an impressive mage and quite worthy of his lineage. But Album Luz stood in her way, preventing her from reaching what should have been an obvious conclusion. They had all known that Acostav’s daughter had issues with her mana, but it wasn’t until the day of orientation that the Citadel learned just how problematic Album’s magical deficiencies were. She was taken out of that match almost in an instant, and proved that her control over her body was far from what should have been expected of a student of the Academy, let alone a daughter of the Luz family. By bringing her on royal assignments, she would be risking Album’s life, and should Acostav’s daughter die on her watch, the tension between the Iijis and the Noctalus would only grow worse.

Ilirianna grimaced, deciding that she was at least grateful that her mother and father were no longer constantly pestering her about the issue, for they, too, understood the predicament they now found themselves in. Toranei had urged her to consider other options while she spoke to Acostav herself, but for the past week, the Master of Light had been actively avoiding them, always claiming he didn’t have the time for a meeting, and she had heard that he was spending less time outside of his quarters and his office. The queen had managed to speak to Viiro Noctis, but the Master of Darkness had admitted that he had been just as ignorant to Album’s condition as they had been, though Toranei made it clear she didn’t fully believe him.

Acostav’s such a coward, the princess spat in the privacy of her mind. Is he so embarrassed by what happened that he can’t bear to show his face? He can claim to be busy as much as he likes, but no one’s buying it.

However, as pathetic as Acostav’s behavior was, Ilirianna took some satisfaction in knowing how much he was damaging his reputation. Album’s failure in orientation was already harmful to his image to begin with, so hiding himself away was just making matters worse for him, and given how arrogant he was, Ilirianna was somewhat satisfied for the moment.

After all, it’s not like I need a team anytime soon, so he can act like a child all he wants. It’s fine with me.

Grinning to herself, Ilirianna turned away from the window and stood up from her bed before glancing around absently. Her large double bed was surrounded by dark red curtains that were currently pulled open, and the walls were decorated with swords that had been forged as gifts to her for past birthdays, as well as a few paintings of the Iiji crest. There was a lot of space for her to move around, which she often used whenever she wanted to train in private. It was midday so her room was lit by natural light, but when the sun set, she would use fire magic to light the massive chandelier hanging in the center. Off to her right was a door that led into a walk-in closet filled to the brim with different clothes for a multitude of occasions, ranging from dresses to training gear, though she rarely wore anything other than her casual attire of a green coat with golden buttons running down the front, a red undershirt, and a long black skirt that fell to her knees. Her green hair was typically left hanging down, but on that day, her sister Piura had woven it into a braid that came down to the middle of her back.

As she looked around, she tried to decide what to do with her day since she had nothing planned before opting to head back to the training grounds to give another shot at trying to cast spells without incantation. She knew that if she didn’t get it down before her next session with her mother then she was going to once again be in for a long and tedious lecture.

Then again, even if I did get it down, I’m sure Mother would find something else to complain about. She snorted, walking toward the wall opposite the bed where her two emerald swords were propped up in the corner. Whatever. Maybe I can go find Reigious or Anna and ask them to spar with me.

Content with her plan, the princess hooked both swords to her hips and exited the room. The corridor just outside consisted of a few other doors, leading to the bedrooms of her siblings, as well the master bedroom that her parents occupied. After rounding a corner, she came to a large staircase that led down to the first floor of the quarters and emptied out into a lavish living space, all colored with the same green and gold that was ridiculously common throughout the royal floors of the Citadel. There were far more chairs and couches than they really needed all placed around one another, though it was rare for anybody other than the five of them to step foot inside the royal quarters. Even Masters almost never visited, and as far as Ilirianna could remember, the only ones who ever had were Nakoma and Koroha, though that was primarily due to them being old friends of her parents.

This was the only room on the first floor since they always ate at the dining hall on the level below them, so when she glanced around to find it empty, she knew that her siblings were either in their own rooms back upstairs or had already left. Ilirianna grimaced, realizing that she probably would have sensed their presence when she passed by, leaving her with only the option of having to go look for them around the tower.

Ah, damn. I really just wanted to get to training, but since I’ve got nothing better to do, I guess I’ll go try to find them. God only knows where Reigious went, but I bet Anna’s down in the gardens again, if she isn’t already at the training grounds.

Deciding that locating Piura was the easiest of her options, the eldest princess began to cross the living room to make her way toward the front door, but before she could take more than a few stops, she heard the clicking of the locking mechanism, indicating that somebody was entering. Ilirianna stopped, hoping that the new arrival would be one of her siblings and was sorely disappointed when it was instead her father, Markreas, who walked through the doorway. However, her disappointment was quickly replaced by concern when she saw how unnerved he appeared, and the moment he noticed her standing there, he let out a sigh of relief.

“Ah, there you are, Liri,” he muttered. “I was hoping I would find you up here.”

The princess frowned. “Is everything alright, Father? Did you need me for something?”

“Yes, more or less. I would like you to come with me,” the king replied with a grimace. “I’ve called together a meeting of the Masters and I would like you present for this particular one. I’m not yet sure how much of a problem this is going to be, but it’s been a while since you’ve attended a meeting. Are you free or do you have training with your mother today?”

He indicated the swords at her hip and she quickly shook her head. “No, I’m perfectly free, but…does this have to do with the situation in Norania?”

The border tensions between Ijiria and the southern nation of Norania had been growing far too aggravated in recent days and was the primary cause of the latest disagreements between her parents and the Council of Elders. There was plenty of reason to be concerned that a radical group of Noranian mages might attack one of the border cities, and if something like that happened, it could very well be the precursor to another war between them—a situation she knew her parents were trying hard to avoid. If war broke out, it was a given that the Ijirians would win, but the continent had been at a relatively stable peace ever since the conclusion of the Second Trovian War roughly a century earlier, and she preferred if it stayed that way.

To her relief, her father shook his head. “Do not worry. The situation down on the border has remained controlled for the moment, no thanks to Kloras. No, this… Well, it’s in regards to something we hadn’t considered a threat until recently, and now I’m not sure we can overlook it. I’ll explain it better once the Masters are gathered, so please, come with me.”

“Of course, Father.”

She was thankful that whatever was going on didn’t relate to Norania, but at the same time, she couldn’t help fearing the implications of yet another problem that needed dealing with. As it stood, the Council was proving to be an unwavering force standing in the way of every solution the crown put forth, so if something else had come up, it was almost certain that Kloras Glaus’s faction would once again try to prevent them from fixing it.

And if Kloras keeps blocking us from dealing with our current issues then they’re only going to start piling up until we have no way of handling it all. I wish that bastard could see that, but I doubt he cares, so… She shook her head with frustration. I can only hope that whatever has Father so on edge is something that can be swiftly dealt with.

***

After quickly depositing her swords back in her room, Ilirianna followed her father out into the corridors and toward the nearest lift, where Markreas was quick to utter the incantation “Ortumo” that would lower them down to their desired floor. Once they arrived, they passed by a few researchers who didn’t hesitate to bow before them, and pressed on down the silver hallways in silence, all the while, Ilirianna kept taking deep breaths to steady her beating heart. She could tell just from the way he was walking that Markreas’s mind was spinning as he pondered whatever it was that made him decide to call the Masters of Ijiria together, and the fact that he deemed this new situation as worthy of the Masters was more than enough to give her some anxiety. The impatient part of her wanted to press him for more details, but he had said he would wait to explain until they were all together, and thus, she knew that no amount of questioning would get her any more information. Therefore, she kept her mouth shut, and soon enough, they arrived at the door to the Chamber of the Masters.

It wasn’t a traditional door, however, and to anybody who didn’t know what it was, it might not have even been considered a door. Instead, it mostly resembled a large slab of obsidian that was a stark contrast to the bright silver walls all around it, but if one were to look closer, they would find eight indentations in the shape of handprints that were of all different sizes. Markreas stopped for a moment and glanced down as if to ensure that he appeared presentable as he smoothed out his velvet robes and straightened the crown resting atop his head. Then, once he was satisfied, he placed his right hand into the print that perfectly fit it, and when he did, the slab slowly began to slide into the wall, revealing a small and empty anteroom on the other side, as well as a second, more normal door just ahead of them.

Markreas stalked forward with his cape billowing out behind him and Ilirianna followed obediently at his heels as the two of them moved through the second doorway and into the main chamber. The moment the king and princess entered, all seven individuals already gathered within jumped to their feet before turning their direction and bowing. Though Ilirianna was quite used to people bowing towards her, this was one of the only occasions where it felt odd due to the prestige and power wielded by the seven Masters of Ijiria, all of whom were much older and experienced than she was. That was why she always attributed their respect to only her father since any bows sent her way were more out of obligation.

“Good afternoon, Masters,” Markreas greeted, his voice donning confidence that hadn’t been present in his tone or his features until that very moment. “You may all take your seats. Liri, you stand beside me.”

Ilirianna nodded and followed her father around the massive, circular table that was placed in the center of the high-ceilinged silver chambers and took up most of the room’s space. There were seven seats surrounding the table and behind those chairs were banners of all different colors that hung from the wall, each displaying the symbol of a Master’s affinity. In addition, there was an eighth chair that was far more fancy and decorated than the others, crafted of an expensive gold and velvet, with different colored jewels adorning the armrests. This was the seat of King Markreas, the man who oversaw the Masters of Ijiria.

It was Ijirian tradition for the ruler of the realm to act as the Grand-Master, and therefore, when the time came for Ilirianna to take the throne, she would also take her place at the head of this very table. It was the primary reason she occasionally joined these meetings, for her father was insistent that she have plenty of experience observing their interactions so that she would be prepared when the responsibility became hers. She had been doing so ever since she was fifteen, and so she already had a strong idea of how these meetings often went, but on that particular day, she could tell that there was more tension in the room than usual, and one look at the seven Masters seated at the table was more than enough to tell her what was causing such tension.

Aside from Viiro Noctis, the Masters were all shooting Acostav a variety of glances, containing suspicion, anger, and even a bit of amusement, and Ilirianna knew that information regarding the events of the orientation, as well as Acostav’s behavior in the days afterwards, had already spread among them. As for Acostav himself, the Master of Light merely folded his hands on the surface of the table and watched King Markreas and Ilirianna walk toward the Grand-Master’s seat, as if oblivious to the hostile stares he was receiving.

But I’m sure he’s plenty aware of it all, she mused. He’s a lot of things, but oblivious isn’t one of them.

Markreas finally lowered himself down into his seat with a huff, and Ilirianna placed herself on his immediate right, folding her hands behind her back and standing with a straight posture as she regarded the Masters with interest. On the left side of the table sat Viiro Noctis, Acostav Luz, Nakoma Taurus, and the Master of Wind, Koroha Rihtta, a woman that Ilirianna hadn’t seen for quite some time.

For the past few months, Koroha had been further south in the Great City of Krato, serving as a diplomat to the Ring of Kraton, the magical lords who ruled over the city. One of the primary reasons Koroha often served as their delegate to Krato was due to the fact that her father was a member of the Ring, and so she often returned home to broker deals between the two cities—an arrangement that had done wonders for the historically strained relationship between them. She was a stern-looking woman with her narrow brown eyes, firm jawline, and pitch black hair that she always had pulled back in a ponytail. Unlike most of the Masters, her attire wasn’t anything fancy. She mostly wore dark brown tunics and trousers, without any jewelry to be found, but due to her appearance, she was often able to blend into the common masses—an attribute that had served her well in her life.

On the right side of the table sat Master of Nature Edwar Grunly, alongside the Masters of Water and Rock, Nyx Rana and Sinna Cartus, two women whose appearances were polar opposites of each other.

Nyx was quite small and petite, with youthful features that made her appear as if she might have been sixteen despite her real age falling somewhere in her late twenties to early thirties. Her long hair was a beautiful silver and her eyes were rather pale, with eyelids that often drooped low enough to make her seem like she was about to fall asleep. She almost always wore her white and blue robe that concealed most of her small form, and on most days, her hood would be pulled up over head, though at that particular moment, it was down.

As for Sinna, the woman was massive, reaching nearly seven feet tall, with a large frame and muscled arms that were visible due to the dark brown sleeveless jerkin she was wearing—an appearance that made many in the Citadel wonder if she had some giant’s blood in her, though she vehemently denied such allegations. Her skin was a dark brown, her eyes were amber, and her black hair was tied in a braid that came down to her hips. The Master of Rock was rarely ever seen without a scowl, and at that moment, she was directing her glare toward Acostav, as if hoping the meeting would begin with an interrogation of the Master of Light.

The room remained quiet for a few more moments as Markreas seemed to gather his thoughts, until finally, the king sat up straighter and began. “I imagine some of you are already aware as to why I’ve called you all together,” he stated firmly. “But for those who have yet to be filled in, I would request that you, Nyx, inform them of the message that arrived in the capital just last night.”

The Master of Water gave a slight nod of her head before slowly rising to her feet to address the Masters. “Of course, Your Majesty,” she said in her typical airy and soft tone. “As it happens, last night, a messenger from the Great City of Hiriech appeared at the southern gates, informing the guards that he had urgent business with the Citadel. After confirming his identity, the man was allowed into Erika and was brought here, where Sinna and I received him.” She paused for a moment, tilting her head to the side in thought, as if pondering what next to say. “To be honest, we weren’t sure what we were expecting, but to our surprise, it was related to a recent case that I’m sure Master Taurus would be familiar with.”

At the sound of his name, Nakoma cocked an eyebrow, and Ilirianna clearly saw a flash of understanding in his crimson eyes, as if he already had an idea of what she was referring to even before Nyx put it to words.

“The messenger reported a very odd event in which the vice-captain of the castle guard spontaneously erupted into flames while at a local blacksmith’s shop,” Nyx explained. “The owner of said shop claimed that he suddenly started glowing a dull red before shouting in pain, and before he could do anything, the fire exploded from inside of him, completely searing through the front of his body and killing him instantly.”

Ilirianna could only stare at the Master of Water with confusion as she took in the details of the report, and a brief glance around showed similar expressions of the faces of all of the other Masters aside from Sinna and Nakoma.

“You’re kidding me,” the Master of Fire murmured. “Another one?”

“Another, you say?” Viiro narrowed his pure white eyes as he regarded Nakoma with suspicion. “This has happened before? I’ve certainly never heard of any incidents like this. Explain, Taurus.”

“Well, I’d honestly be surprised if anybody outside of fire mages had ever heard of it.” Despite being obviously irritated by Viiro’s command, Nakoma still obliged as he ran his fingers through his crimson hair. “It’s a ridiculously rare mana disorder called Ignilango in which the mana cells responsible for fire production start to overproduce. Essentially, the enzyme that manages mana production stops working properly, causing fire mana to run rampant in the victim’s system until it can no longer be contained in the body and forcefully ejects itself.” Then, even though Nakoma was clearly on edge about the revelation, his eyes flickered toward Acostav and a slight smile twisted the corner of his lip. “In fact, it’s quite similar to what the gigga root did to your daughter, Acostav, except this disorder is caused by bodily malfunction rather than drugs.”

The Master of Light’s lips drew tight and it was clear he was about to make a sharp retort, but before he could, Sinna Cartus cut him off.

“Yes, there’s a similar condition with rock cells as well,” she stated. “Though, they’re far less destructive than what you’ve just described. That being said, it’s only ever seen in mages who specialize in rock magic. Is it a similar situation with this Ignilango?”

“Yes, typically that is the case, and that’s what’s bothering me.” Nakoma leaned forward in his seat and took a few seconds to consider his words. “In the recent days, there have been a handful of accounts of individuals spontaneously combusting, but most of them have been from small farming villages between here and, well, Hiriech, and most of them don’t even know much magic to begin with, let alone to have enough fire experience to cause such a thing.” He sighed. “I’ve been tasked with looking into what could be causing these cases, but thus far, I’ve struggled to find anything that could explain it. Every autopsy simply results in what you would expect—the victims all show signs of overactive fire production.”

“And this would be the first time this has happened in a large city?” Grunly chimed in with a frown, addressing both Nakoma and Markreas.

“Yes, it would be,” the Master of Fire confirmed, then turned back to speak directly to the King. “This messenger, was he sent directly by Lord Malloway or was he one of ours?”

Markeas grimaced, irritation poking through his otherwise calm features. “One of ours. I’ve been waiting to hear from the Lord of Hiriech, but it would seem he’s trying to keep this on the downlow. In fact, the only reason we have heard anything is because we keep a closer watch on our cities than he realizes. But unfortunately, there’s more to this. Nyx…”

“Of course.” Once again, the Master of Water proceeded to explain the other details of the situation. “The blacksmith who observed the event, a man named Oharn Gaya, was nearly caught in the explosion and rushed to the nearest healer for medical aid. From what we’ve heard, Lord Malloway’s guards spoke to him about the matter, but he seemed to not understand what had happened, and before our people had the chance to talk to him, he was found dead in his hospital room, his throat slit open. It appeared like a suicide due to the presence of the dagger that killed him laying just beside him, and that was the guards’ declared cause of death, but…”

Acostav smirked bitterly. “I highly doubt such a thing. It’s too convenient. After all, if he was in the hospital then how did he get ahold of a dagger to slit his throat with unless the security in that place was terrible. Somebody must have feared he knew something and shut him up. The only question is why? And why would the guard be so ready to call it a suicide given how suspicious it is?”

“And the implications are unnerving,” Grunly added. “From what you were saying, Master Taurus, this disease is a natural occurrence, but if that were so…”

“Why silence him?” Viiro grunted, finishing the sentence when Grunly went quiet. “What is there that Mr. Gaya could have known?”

Nakoma’s jaw tightened and, having known the man as long as she had, Ilirianna could see the heavy concern in his eyes. “I do not like this. It was already quite odd to have so many cases in such a short time, but if Mr. Gaya was killed, as it seems he was, then it’s possible that this isn’t natural, rather it’s being caused.”

“Can something like this be caused?” Ilirianna finally chimed in, wanting to participate in the conversation despite not yet having much to add.

“Yes, theoretically,” Nakoma confirmed. “Like I said, it's just mana overproduction, so if somebody could manipulate one’s cells into overproducing fire mana, then I would imagine it could be done. The question is, why? What is there to gain by doing such a thing, not only to this vice-captain, but to those farmers as well?”

The Masters went silent then, glancing towards the king for guidance on what was to be done about the matter, and Ilirianna couldn’t help but to look to her father as well, only to find the man leaning on his fist, deep in thought. It was only once he realized that everybody was looking at him that he sat back up and spoke.

“This is something I don’t want to overlook. I agree with Acostav in that the guard was far too quick in declaring this a suicide, but the problem we face is the problem we always face.” Markreas scowled, and without even having to say it, everybody in the room understood that he was referring to Kloras Glaus and the Council of Elders. “I want to investigate this matter, especially given that Lord Malloway still hasn’t reached out to us, but getting around Kloras is not going to be simple, especially while we continue to bicker over the situation on the Noranian border.”

Sinna snorted with disdain. “I say we just do as we please. What’s the bastard going to do if we ignore him? It’s not like he could stop us.”

“Perhaps,” Koroha replied, speaking for the first time since the meeting began. “But at the same time, he has more influence than we like to admit, Cartus. As it stands, the existence of the Council is necessary in keeping the peace between us and the other Great Cities.”

Ilirianna internally grimaced, knowing that Koroha was right despite sharing Sinna’s sentiments regarding the Council. The reason that the Council of Elders existed was to take some power away from the Iijis and the Masters, thus satisfying the lords of the Great Cities. By having checks of the Masters of Ijiria, it ensures that they can’t do as they please and kill who they want, so a tradition was followed to only act when both the crown and the council come to consensus—a tradition that had become more of a hindrance ever since Kloras rose to power.

“Maybe it is!” Sinna snapped back. “But regardless, this is getting tedious. It’s become clear that Kloras Glaus seeks to prevent us from doing anything, and that is not something we can allow him to get away with. If somebody really is causing these people to explode, then we have to put them down, Glaus be damned.”

“You aren’t wholly incorrect, Sinna,” Markreas quickly intervened. “But neither are you, Koroha, which brings us to the reason why I have decided to have my daughter attend this particular meeting.”

As her father motioned toward her, Ilirianna looked back with surprise, wondering how her presence could in any way deal with the council. The other Masters clearly didn’t understand either, and so, Markreas elaborated.

“At the end of the month, Lord Malloway is hosting a coming-of-age ball for his eldest son, Aeyir,” the king explained. “He has been planning this event ever since the end of last year, and to nobody’s surprise, he sent an invitation for the princess to attend—an invitation we never intended to take him up upon…”

Ilirianna had to quickly bite back the appalled expression that threatened to break though, and part of her knew that had she not been standing before the Masters, she may have failed to do so. Back in the spring, an invitation from Hiriech had arrived in Erika that invited Ilirianna to attend Aeyir Malloway’s ball. On the surface, she had figured it was probably a formality, but as she read through all of the details describing how she could arrive a week early and how the castle would take good care of her, it suddenly occurred to her what Lord Malloway’s intentions might actually be.

He’s trying to get me to take an interest in his son and to put himself in the position where his child has a chance at being the future king. There’s no doubt in my mind about that, and Father had agreed when he read the message. We didn’t want to even humor him, so we opted not to go, but…

“That being said,” Markreas went on. “The Council has no say in which events the princess attends. Personal matters of the royal family aren’t their business, after all.”

“Ah, I see what you’re getting at,” Koroha muttered. “We send Ilirianna to Hiriech under the guise of attending this ball, and investigate the matter in secret?”

The king nodded. “Exactly. We can use it as a front to disguise our intentions from both Kloras and Lord Malloway. My daughter here is clever, and if anybody can sniff out what’s going on in that city, it’ll be her.”

Despite her already strong aversion to attending the ball, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride when her father glanced up at her and smiled warmly. So, as much as she didn’t want to have to deal with House Malloway in the slightest, she didn’t want to let her father down, and she had to internally admit that she was quite curious as to the nature of these combustion cases.

“In addition, the princess would of course need to be accompanied by an entourage and so, once she has chosen her team from among the Academy students, they will also be traveling to Hiriech with her,” Markreas stated.

My team…is coming, too?

This time, the Masters all exchanged uncertain looks, before each one of them turned to stare at Acostav, who once again pretended as if he didn’t notice the hostile attention he was receiving.

“And has she selected her team?” Viiro inquired calmly, though he failed to hide the anticipation in his deep voice. “I was under the impression that she was still uncertain.”

“Well—”

“How could I not be, Master Viiro?” Ilirianna interrupted her father, smiling innocently at the Master of Darkness. “There was a magnificent amount of talent at that orientation, and while I certainly had my favorite as your son’s team, I can’t help but be a little uncertain given the performance of Album. After all, I know she had mana production issues, but I never knew it was that bad.” Then, enjoying her chance to finally dig into the arrogant composure that Acostav had, she turned to address the Master of Light. “My team and I will be handling dangerous assignments, and I would hate to put your daughter’s life at risk if she isn’t up to the task.”

Acostav narrowed his black eyes and Ilirianna knew that had her father not been standing beside her, he wouldn’t have held back in his response. “Do not worry about Album, My Princess. That was a one-time issue that simply occurred due to stress. She and I have already discussed it, and she will not make such a mistake again.”

“But I do find it strange,” Sinna chimed in with a wicked smile. “That girl is supposed to be Lady Clara’s successor with your erasure powers, and yet, she seems so weak and frail. What did she need gigga root for in the first place? Are her mana shortages so dire that she needs medication to combat it? I do not recall you ever mentioning such a thing.”

Acostav sneered back at the Master of Rock. “I failed to mention it because it was Luz family business, Cartus. It was not something you needed to know.”

“And yet, you failed to mention it to the king,” Nakoma added wryly. “And from what Headmaster Tykon said, he was unaware, too. At the very least, should not the headmaster know all of the details of his students?”

“I—”

“Enough,” Markreas said sharply, cutting Acostav off before the argument could progress. “Acostav, regardless of your reasoning, Album’s performance is the sole reason that my daughter has yet to select that team, and I think it is a valid fear—one we need to discuss. Therefore, I order you to come to the throne room and speak with the queen and I later tonight. Is that understood?”

Acostav’s features twitched in barely restrained anger, but an order from the king was gospel for the Masters, and he could do nothing but bow his head and oblige. “Very well, Your Majesty.”

“Good.” Markreas then cleared his throat and returned to addressing them all. “Ilirianna will have her team selected before week’s end, and they will accompany her to Malloway’s ball. In addition, she will need protection, and while we normally would send Citadel guards with her, it would not be out of the ordinary for a princess to be protected by a Master.”

Ilirianna smirked, pleased with how well her father had concocted a method of slipping around Kloras, and a look at the others, save Acostav, showed a similar level of satisfaction.

“And who better to aid her in this investigation than the one already researching it.” The king motioned to the left where Nakoma was currently sitting. “Master Nakoma, would you do my daughter the service of keeping her safe while away in Hiriech?”

Nakoma chuckled and placed his hand over his chest before bowing. “I would be happy to, My King.”

“Good. There is one last request I must make, but I fear how problematic it may be.” Markreas grimaced. “Acostav was right in that the guard was far too quick to cover this up, and Malloway’s silence has me wondering if the Lord of Hiriech knows more about what’s happening than he’s letting on. That is why, in addition to Nakoma and Ilirianna, who will depart for Hiriech in a little over a week, I would also like to secretly send one of you to the city right now to remain in hiding.”

“Hiding?” Koroha asked with a cocked eyebrow. “But as you already said, Kloras wouldn’t approve of us acting so independently, and he’s certainly going to notice a Master suddenly departing the Citadel. How do you intend to get around that?”

“Simple.” The king grinned slyly. “Nyx, you have recently been requesting leave to go north for some personal time away, yes? I’ve decided to grant you that request. I think you’ve more than earned a vacation.”

The Master of Water tilted her head, as if not immediately grasping the King’s implications, before she gave a tiny smile. “Ah, of course. Thank you, Your Majesty. I swear I won’t be spending that time in Hiriech. No way at all.”

“Of course not.”

Ilirianna watched the proceedings with pride, mentally taking notes on how her father did what he did, for there would come a time when she, too, would have to maneuver the regulations of the Council in order to get things done, and King Markreas perfectly set up a situation to do so. Not only would Ilirianna and her team be able to get to the city, but they would have Nakoma there with them, as well as Nyx somewhere in hiding should things go poorly. It was a strong setup, and she found herself getting a bit excited at the prospect of her first mission in a while.

Now, I just have to finally pick a goddamn team…