The Burning Flowers

Chapter II

`Through the second floor bedroom window of the inn, Master Nyx Rana gazed down at the street below, observing the two carriages rumbling across the cobblestone with a soft smile, for after a two weeks of waiting for them, Princess Ilirianna Iiji and Master Nakoma Taurus had arrived in Hiriech alongside the newly-appointed royal team. From her position, she couldn’t see inside, but when she glanced at the driver’s seat of the front carriage, she was able to recognize Master Taurus sitting alongside the coachman, his crimson hair a dead giveaway to her even from a rather far distance. However, there was no sign of Ilirianna or the team, so she concluded with disappointment that they must all be riding in the coach.

Aw, a pity. I was hoping I would be able to see who she picked, though I would be genuinely surprised if it was anybody other than the Noctalus.

Shrugging, Nyx turned away from the window and glanced around the room that she had been staying at during her time in the city. It was a rather cheap place, mainly because she feared any attention she might get by purchasing anything more expensive, so it only had a singular bed in one corner and a rather small desk in the other. Overall, the room was no bigger than three-hundred square feet, but Nyx wasn’t terribly picky when it came to accommodations.

Although, I do wish Sinna could have come with me. I miss her.

Taking a seat at the desk, the Master of Water rested her head on her fist, mentally going over her plans for the next few days. Aeyir Malloway’s ball was at the end of the week, and by King Markreas’s orders, she was to depart Hiriech just after the birthday party ended. Any longer would be far too risky, and if Nyx were caught in the city after claiming to the Council that she was merely on vacation in the north, the consequences could be problematic, so if she didn’t manage to find anything in the small amount of time she had left, then she would be forced to return to the Citadel empty-handed.

It really is a pity. I honestly thought I’d be able to find something before the princess arrived. Oh well…

The unfortunate fact was that she had learned absolutely nothing related to Oharn Gaya’s suicide nor to Dreek Willow’s death. Since Lord Malloway would easily recognize her on sight, Nyx had been unable to do any investigation of the castle. Instead, it had been her job to look around the city and see what she could learn from the locals, but as far as she could tell, nobody had any clue what really happened. Everybody she spoke to about Willow were under the impression that he had been killed by an unknown assailant, without a single inkling as to the combustion. As for Gaya, the report that he had killed himself was more or less accepted by civilians, though both Gaya’s family, as well as the two girls who worked under him as apprentices, were all rather skeptical.

“Suicide? No, Master Gaya never would have killed himself. He loved his wife and daughter more than anything, and would have gone through hell to protect them. In fact, witnessing Mr. Willow’s death would have spurred him to protect them even more, so I just don’t believe it would have traumatized him enough to push him that far. I don’t know what happened to him, nor do I know why Captain Vesh is covering it up, but there’s no doubt in my mind that it isn’t true. He was murdered. That much is certain.”

That was the account of Gaya's apprentice, Kalsey Yenna, who Nyx had been able to speak to when she visited Gaya’s blacksmith shop, a place that Yenna had been overseeing in the aftermath of his death. Naturally, the shop wasn’t open for business, but Yenna had been there to work on using magic to repair what had been damaged, and under the guise of a mere curious traveler, Nyx succeeded in getting her to open up, if just a little.

But she really only confirmed what King Markreas suspected. Mr. Gaya almost certainly didn’t kill himself.

Discussions with other locals who knew Gaya well gave her similar conclusions, though very few were as confident of foul play by the castle guard as Yenna was. Unfortunately, with only speculation to go off of, Nyx hadn’t been able to acquire anything that Nakoma and the others would find terribly useful.

But at least we now know that if there’s information to be found, it’ll be in the castle. Captain Rotana Vesh, for one, should not be taken lightly.

Nyx sighed and rested her head against the desk, feeling her familiar and ever-present lethargy spurring her on to take a nap. However, as she closed her eyes, she heard the distant sound of footsteps out in the hall, almost certainly belonging to one of the other guests making their way to their own room. Like always, just as the individual passed her door, the delicious scent of their flesh wafted into the room and reached her nose, causing her stomach to growl in anticipation of a meal.

No, we’re not eating anybody. You know that’s not allowed, she reprimanded.

Luckily, the urge always faded whenever the prospective lunch got far enough away that she couldn’t smell them, and with a satisfied smile, Nyx Rana happily took her nap, an always effective distraction from her overwhelming gluttony.

***

Ilirianna Iiji rested her head against the window of the carriage as she watched the city of Hiriech pass her by with a smile. It had been a long time since she’d visited, and it was just as beautiful as she remembered it being. The architecture was mostly constructed from stone, resulting in a city that was mostly filled with different shades of grays and other dark colors. On the right side of the carriage were the fronts of various shops and restaurants, and on the sidewalk just outside of them were the citizens of Hiriech, all stopping to gaze with curiosity at the carriages, for the green and gold coloring would immediately give away that they were from the Citadel. While there were buildings on the right, the left side gave Ilirianna a view of the Siptic River that ran straight through the center of Hiriech, cutting it into two distinct sections. The river was about two hundred feet wide, and floating on the brilliant blue surface, she could see fishing boats as well as civilian ships, with watermills lining the shores, built of the same stone as much of the rest of the city. In addition, there were massive bridges that connected the two sides of Hiriech, arching upwards so as to give the boats plenty of space to go beneath them.

“Wow. This place is beautiful,” Abigail remarked from her spot just across from Ilirianna. “I mean, I’d heard Hiriech was certainly a sight worth seeing, but still…”

“And to think I’ve never been here,” Ryokumo added. “I used to live just a couple of days down this very river. Though as pretty as it is, Stellareid still puts it to shame. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is more alluring than the City of Starlight.”

Ilirianna smirked, eyeing Ryokumo with a sly expression. “Well, you’d do well to keep that particular opinion to yourself. Let any of the locals hear you say that and I can’t promise you’ll make it back to Erika in one piece.”

“Oh, is that so?” the wind mage replied with a grin of his own. “So there’s a city rivalry going on, is there?”

“Yes there is,” Ilirianna confirmed. “Trust me, you don’t know tense until you’ve shared a meal with Lord Malloway and Lord Cartigan at the same time. And I promise I’m not exaggerating. My brother, Reigious, once made a very benign and casual comment in front of them about how he preferred freshwater fish over saltwater. Malloway got cocky over that one and antagonized Cartigan, which then led to one of the most unusual and aggressive debates I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.”

Abigail frowned, seemingly trying to determine if Ilirianna was exaggerating. “O-over fish? W-why? I mean, they’re both pretty good, I guess, but…”

“Well, with the cities so close and both having a very fish-centric economy, it’s only natural they would wind up a bit at odds with one another,” Ilirianna explained. “I know it seems silly to us, but you should know that the City Lords don’t exactly like one another to begin with, and Stellareid and Hiriech are the epitome of that. So a word of advice, don’t mention Stellareid in front of the Malloways, okay?”

“O-okay…”

“Yes, My Princess!”

Ilirianna chuckled at the very different reactions from Abi and Ryokumo before turning back to gaze at the river as the carriages continued on. The city was surrounded by dense forests and hills that could be seen from any part of Hiriech, and when she turned her eyes towards the expanse of green directly ahead and above the carriages, Ilirianna could clearly see Castle Aquesen in all its beautiful glory. The three spires of Lord Malloway’s castle stretched high up into the air, with black and blue flags displaying the sparrow of Malloway placed atop them, flapping in the soft breeze of the afternoon. Unlike the grays of the city, Castle Aquesen was a light cream color, and with its eastern location, the light of the sun reflected off of the walls.

“Abigail, Caeli,” Ilirianna said after a moment. “Take a look. That’s where we’re staying for the week. Of course, it might not match up to the beauty of the Citadel, but it’s still pretty cool.”

At her beckoning, Abi and Ryokumo leaned to the left to gaze towards the castle, and Iliiranna couldn’t help but smile at their expressions of awe, for she had anticipated such a reaction.

The trip through Hiriech took another ten minutes before they reached the outskirts, as well as the road that would take them into the hills and towards the castle. Once they were outside the city, they were completely surrounded on all sides by trees that stretched far up into the sky, and soon enough, the carriages arrived at the black iron gates that marked the entrance to the castle grounds. Nakoma had opted to ride in the driver's seat of his own carriage so that he could speak with the guards and inform them of who they were, so sure enough, the gates were pulled up within a minute and they were once again on their way. The drivers then took them up the cobble road for another two minutes before they were finally brought to a stop just before the massive, dark brown front doors of Castle Aquesen.

Finally… We’ve made it.

She could see similar looks of relief on Abi and Ryokumo’s faces as well, and though she knew they would be making that same trip again in just a little over a week, Ilirianna took some joy in the fact that she would have a proper bed for a little while before that. After a moment of waiting, the driver hopped out of the coach and opened the door, motioning for the three of them to step out, which they did gratefully in anticipation of getting to stretch their legs. Similarly to Citadel, the front gates of Aquesen were surrounded by a garden with flowers of all different types and colors, and directly in front of those gates, on the opposite side of the cobblestone pathway, was a large stone terrace with intricately carved railings that gave them a perfect and breathtaking view of Hiriech and the Siptic River down below. Abi and Ryokumo were already gazing at the view, and Ilirianna couldn’t help but join them as Nakoma, Nigreos, and Album all stepped out of their own carriage.

However, they had only been admiring the sight for a handful of seconds before the doors of the castle were pulled open, and Ilirianna turned back to see Lord Malloway himself emerge into the gardens, alongside two young men that she immediately knew must be his sons, for even though they appeared much older than she remembered, they looked enough like their father that it was obvious.

“My Princess!” Lord Friez Malloway exclaimed upon striding toward them.

The lord’s smile was broad and charming, and even though it had been a handful of years since she had seen the man, it didn’t appear as if he had aged even a day. His pitch black hair and full beard still didn’t show any signs of gray or white despite him being in his late fifties, and his dark brown eyes were as fierce as always. His physique was that of a strong and powerful individual, with a large frame and a barrel chest, and he was clothed in fine blue and black silks, with an ornamental rapier hooked to his hip, the pommel bedazzled in various colored gemstones.

Coming to a stop, Malloway placed his right hand over his heart and bent forward in a bow, his sons mimicking their father almost instantly before the three Malloways rose back up to full height.

“Welcome to Hiriech and to Castle Aquesen!” Malloway said with an excited tone. “We’ve been eagerly anticipating your arrival and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for changing your mind and attending my son’s birthday celebration! Truly, it means the world to us!”

With the lord’s sudden arrival, Ilirianna quickly shifted into her political mode as she put on a polite smile and gently tilted her head toward him. “Of course, Lord Malloway. I am glad, as well, that circumstances were able to change enough that I could make the trip. It truly pained me to decline your initial invitation.”

“Oh, don’t think anything of it!” Malloway assured her with a wave of his hand. “The life of a princess is a busy one, I know that. All that matters is that you're here now.” Chuckling, the Lord of Hiriech then glanced around at the others present, first eyeing Ryokumo and Abi with a subtle touch of confusion before turning toward Nigreos, Album, and Nakoma, who his gaze lingered on for far longer. “And it is more than a pleasure to be among the first to lay eyes on this generation's royal team. Magnificent! And Master Taurus, we welcome you as well!”

Ilirianna knew that Nakoma didn’t hold any love for Malloway, and especially not given the recent implications, but the Master of Fire skillfully put on a cheerful and pleasant smile as he returned Malloway’s greeting with a bow.

“Thank you, My Lord. It’s a pleasure to be here,” he responded. “I have longed to visit Aquesen once again after my last visit a few years back. Hiriech is beautiful place.”

“Yes, that it is.” Nodding to himself, the lord then glanced back at his two sons, who were politely standing behind him and awaiting permission to speak. “Step forward, boys. Greet Princess Ilirianna properly.”

“Of course, Father.” The first to step forward was the son Ilirianna knew to be the eldest. He was a proper and well-groomed young man, the ideal image of a lord’s heir. He held himself with grace and stood tall and proud, with handsome features and a charming smile that greatly resembled his father’s, though unlike Lord Malloway, he was a bit on the slimmer side. “Welcome, Princess. I am Aeyir Malloway, and I thank you for attending my coming of age. It means more to me than I can articulate.”

Aeyir’s voice was soft, but still carried a firm confidence befitting a person of his stature, and even though Ilirianna was a bit on edge given the circumstances of their trip, she couldn’t deny that she was glad to be able to make the boy happy. From what she remembered, Aeyir was a good and noble person.

“Of course,” she replied with a far more genuine smile than the one she gave Malloway. “Thank you for the invitation.”

Aeyir then stepped back as the younger of the two brothers took his place, but unlike the eldest son, he didn't have charisma or confidence, rather he seemed to be partially holding back a scowl. Like the other two, his hair was pitch black, but where his father and brother had theirs neatly trimmed, his fell down to his shoulders. His frame was slightly larger than Aeyir’s, but being a boy of only sixteen, Ilirianna knew he would probably grow to be closer to his father’s size.

“A pleasure, My Princess,” he said with a rather rotten smile. “I’m Mallicent Malloway. We thank you for gracing us with your presence.”

Well, he’s certainly got an attitude.

The few times she had met Mallicent, she remembered him being rather reclusive, quiet, and relatively shy, but he had always shown her the same politeness that was expected when addressing the princess of Ijiria. Now, however, he didn’t seem to care who she was or what respect she deserved, and didn’t bother holding back the angry look he directed her way, like he wanted her to know that he didn’t give a damn who she was.

But even so, Ilirianna did as etiquette dedicated and responded with respect. “Yes, it’s nice to see you again.”

And just as Ilirianna said those words, she felt something just behind her, and her body reflexively tensed up. She couldn’t tell if the Malloways noticed, for even she just barely sensed it, so she ensured that she didn’t react in any obvious manner, but she knew for a fact that one of the Academy students had suddenly drawn mana to their hands, as if preparing to attack one of the Malloways. But as soon as it arrived, the student pulled the power back into themselves, like it had been a reflexive mistake.

What the hell are they doing? Who was that? Why would any of them draw their magic in the presence of Lord Malloway?!

She didn’t know them well enough to distinguish their mana signatures from one another, but since she would have recognized the dark and light magic of Noctis and Luz, she could only conclude that Abi or Ryokumo had been the one to do it.

Damn… I’ll have to have a word with them in a minute. For now, I’ll just pretend like that didn’t happen.

“Well, I should of course introduce the members of my team,” Ilirianna went on, stepping aside to motion towards the four Academy students. Then, motioning to each one in turn, she spoke their names to the Malloways. “This is Nigreos Noctis and Album Luz of Noctalus, Ryokumo Caeli of Jeysa, and Abigail of the northern territories.”

As she introduced them, each one bowed, and unfortunately, both Abi and Ryokumo’s features were calm, not indicating which of them had inadvertently threatened the lord. Lord Malloway’s smile remained pleasant, but Ilirianna could once again tell that Abi and Ryokumo’s presence was a source of confusion for him, though she wasn’t terribly surprised. The inclusion of two commoners in a position as respected as that of the royal team would certainly throw off any lord.

“Noctis and Luz,” Malloway said, spreading his hands out and now turning a bow to Nigreos and Album. “I am so glad to see the two of you again. Last time we met, you were just barely six years old, but look at you now! So grown up!” His smile was boisterous as he looked between the two young mages. “I consider your mothers to be very good friends of mine—always looking out for the interests of Hiriech. Noctalus couldn’t ask for better matriarchs, nor could the Citadel ask for better Masters. I hope we can get along just as well as your parents and I do.”

Naturally, Album wasn’t terribly comfortable in the presence of unfamiliar people, and especially those like the Malloways, so it was Nigreos who took up the role of responding.

“Of course, Lord Malloway,” he answered. “And speaking on behalf of my parents, we are very grateful for your continued support of our ancient city.”

“Yes, yes. Much obliged. Now!” Clapping his hands together, Malloway now turned to look between them all. “Enough of the pleasantries! There’s no reason to dally around in the gardens. Come! Let us go inside and I can show you all to your lodgings for the duration of your stay. And of course, a banquet shall be held tonight in the dining hall to celebrate your arrival, Princess!”

Ushering them inside, Ilirianna and the others trailed after him, with Nakoma falling into step at her side and the royal team taking up the rear. Malloway was already enthusiastically talking about the castle and the plans for dinner while his sons silently moved beside their father, and when she was certain that she wouldn’t be heard, Ilirianna whispered to the Master of Fire,

“Did you sense it?”

She didn’t even need to elaborate on what she meant before Nakoma muttered back, “Of course. It was Abigail.”

“Abigail?” Ilirianna frowned. “But why would she…?”

Even more confused that it was the rather passive and polite Abi, the princess glanced back at the nature mage to make eye contact with her, but Abi didn’t even seem to process her gaze. Instead, she was staring intensely past Ilirianna, and when she followed her eyes to where she was looking, she found that Abi was glaring directly at Mallicent, as if she had some personal hatred for him.

But…as far as I know, she’s never even met Mallicent Malloway. So why would she be staring at him with such rage?

***

The second Abi had allowed her sense to get a reading on the three Malloways, she had been quickly overcome with such intense anxiety that she couldn’t help but pull her mana to her fingers, as if planning to assault one of them right then and there. It was only for a second before she realized her mistake, but she was certain that even if the Malloways didn’t notice, those on her team, as well as Ilirianna and Nakoma, would have.

I can’t believe I lost my cool like that. Before we’d even gone into the castle, I almost jeopardized this mission, but…I couldn’t help it.

While she had received a perfectly safe reading from Aeyir and a neutral one from Lord Malloway, when she allowed her sense to get an impression of Mallicent, one of the most intense negative reactions she had ever experienced nearly overwhelmed her. Her fight-or-flight response had kicked in, and in that moment, she wanted nothing more than to either strike Mallicent down on the spot, or turn around and run, and even after composing herself, the feeling was still in the back of her mind.

That boy is a part of this somehow. It can’t be a coincidence that I receive one of the most powerful readings ever when investigating these horrific combustions. Mallicent must know something, or be involved in whatever’s going on, but…how?

Abi’s mind was racing at full speed throughout the entire trip through Castle Aquesen, and she hardly processed most of what was being said. Of course, that didn’t mean that she couldn’t appreciate the castle’s beauty, for it truly was as magnificent on the inside as it appeared on the outside. The carpets were all a dark blue while the walls were sparkling golds and silvers, with large arched windows that stretched from floor to ceiling allowing plenty of warm sunlight inside. Black and blue banners displaying the Malloway sparrow were hung in numerous places throughout Aquesen, and painted portraits of all different kinds decorated the walls, some displaying old Malloway lords and ladies while others showed scenes from classic fairy tales and stories. On occasion, they would pass by some of the castle guards, who unlike those at the Citadel, didn’t wear helmets, revealing their faces to Abi as they walked past.

“Abi,” Ryokumo whispered as Lord Malloway took them onto a spiral staircase leading further up into the castle. “What the hell happened back there? Why’d you draw your magic?”

Having expected such a question, Abi could only grimace, knowing that Ryokumo, as well as anybody else who sensed her reaction, wouldn’t let her get away with telling anything but the truth. Nigreos and Album were walking just behind them on the narrow staircase, and a glance back showed they were staring expectantly as they awaited her answer. With Lord Malloway and his sons far enough ahead with Ilirianna and Nakoma, she was satisfied that she wouldn’t be overheard.

“I’m sorry, guys,” she whispered with an embarrassed sigh. “I didn’t mean to do that. It’s just, well…”

Aside from Album, they wouldn’t have any clue about her sense, and like always, she was somewhat hesitant to disclose such important information. Luckily, however, Album was almost instant to pick up on what had happened as she leaned forward and softly asked,

“Was it the sense you were talking about the other day? Did you pick up something about the Malloways?”

“Sense?” Ryokumo parroted with a cocked eyebrow. “What sense? What’s going on?”

Abi grimaced, and yet, there was no getting out of it anymore. She knew Nigreos and Ryokumo would be just as trustworthy as Album, Jessi, and Faye, so she took a deep breath and hurriedly explained to them just what her sense was. Since they didn’t want to draw attention from those up ahead, the boys didn’t ask any questions, but she could see in their facial reactions that they were surprised, and rather intrigued, by what she was telling them. By the time she finished, they were in a corridor on the fourth floor, heading toward what sounded like their quarters, and unsurprisingly, Ryokumo was the first to say anything.

“That’s absolutely insane!” he softly exclaimed. “A sixth sense, huh? So you can just tell when somebody’s bullshitting you?”

“W-well, not exactly,” she muttered hesitantly. “It’s not a lie detector, Ryokumo. It’s more like, well…a way to tell if I can trust somebody, or if I’m in danger. I can know instinctively if somebody intends to do me, or anybody else, harm.”

“Then…if your sense is why you reacted the way you did,” Nigreos began, a concerned look crossing his stern features, “then one of the Malloways had that strong of a reaction?”

Abi subtly nodded, noticing that Nakoma had glanced over his shoulder and given them a suspicious look. “Exactly, but it was only one of them. Just Mallicent. The Lord was neutral and Aeyir was even good, but Mallicent just…made me want to run away. He’s dangerous, there’s no doubt in my mind about that. Be careful around him.”

Like with Album and the other girls, Abi had been a bit nervous that Nigreos and Ryokumo wouldn’t take her seriously, but to both her relief and genuine surprise, neither seemed to even consider the possibility that she was lying or exaggerating. As she gave them this information, both of them immediately seemed to ponder what the implications of her sense’s readings were, and she could help but smile at how much faith they were already putting in her.

“What do we do about it then?” Album whispered. “Does this mean that Mallicent is somehow behind these combustions? I mean, how would that even work? He’s only sixteen, so it’s not like he’s some crazy powerful mage. I don’t…”

But Nigreos quickly shook his head. “It’s not impossible. From what I recall, Mallicent Malloway is studying fire magic as his affinity, so it definitely adds up, but that’s not even close to enough proof to conclude anything. And even if it was, remember, we’re not supposed to make any moves ourselves. Even if we were certain Mallicent was a threat, we wouldn’t have any choice but to report that information to Master Rana. For now, I would recommend explaining this sense to Master Taurus and Princess Ilirianna and let them handle it from there.”

Album quickly nodded her agreement. “Yeah, that’s probably the best course of action. The two of them will know what to do.”

“O-okay, I’ll do that.”

However, if given the option, Abi would prefer to speak with the princess over Nakoma Taurus, who she still only got a neutral reading from. Like they had been warned, right after arriving, the situation was already very delicate, so Abi wanted to avoid doing anything that would risk jeopardizing the mission. Speaking to Ilirianna would be the best decision, but when she glanced to her right to see if Ryokumo had anything to add, she saw him gazing ahead at Mallicent, who was still walking beside his brother and father with his head down.

“Ryokumo?” Abi asked quietly. “What do you think?”

Seeming to snap back to reality, the wind mage glanced at her before shrugging. “Er, yeah, talk to the princess. Nigreos and Album are right. That being said…” A sly grin then spread across his face, as if an idea had popped into his mind. “I doubt that bastard is working alone, if he is behind this, so this sense of yours could be invaluable. If possible, keep it as alert as you can, and if anybody is registered as being as appalling as him, mark it down. You may very well be the key to solving this mystery.”

“Ah, well, you’re probably giving me a bit too much credit,” she stammered, but Nigreos was quick to jump to Ryokumo’s aid.

“No, he’s right,” the dark mage insisted. “Be on your guard, Abi, and report everything your sense finds. Given that we suspect the guards of being behind Mr. Gaya’s death, watch every guard you can, okay?”

"Er…yeah, okay…”

And just like that, an even more daunting responsibility was hoisted onto Abigail’s shoulders, but whether she liked it or not, she was determined to accept it and use her sense to the fullest of its abilities.