The Burning Flowers

Chapter V

It had been three days since the royal team arrived in Hiriech, with Abigail steadily growing more restless as the hours passed, and she could easily tell that the same could be said of Ryokumo, Album, and Nigreos. Just as they had been ordered to, they refrained from taking matters into their own hands, deciding only to peacefully observe, but as Abi had feared, doing so was getting them absolutely nowhere. Ryokumo, especially, was growing visibly frustrated with the lack of progress simply because the young man had made such significant findings within the first twenty-four hours. Not only had Aeyir Malloway given them a rather clear path toward understanding what Mallicent had been up to in the recent days, but Ryokumo and Album had also reported a strange incident that had taken place when the two of them visited the young lord’s bedroom.

“There was this voice speaking to me in my mind that Ryokumo, and maybe Mallicent, hadn’t been able to hear. It was urging me to come inside and it seemed interested in me for some reason. It was really creepy, honestly.”

Nobody had known what to make of such an account. Nakoma had suggested that somebody may have used mind magic to telepathically communicate with her for one reason or another, but Album had said she would have known if that were the case. This discovery had led Ryokumo to once again urge the princess and the Master to give him permission to break into the room and investigate, but like before, Nakoma had vehemently opposed it.

“We are not having this discussion again, Caeli! We are not authorized to do anything but watch! We shall report this to Master Rana, but otherwise, we will not be taking further action! We can’t take action! You need to understand that!”

Given Ilirianna’s scolding the last time the two of them argued, Ryokumo had backed down much quicker and conceded the point, but now, the birthday ball was in a mere three days, and they were running out of time. Part of their hopes had been that Nyx Rana would be able to supply them with some useful information, but after Nakoma went into the city to make contact with her, they were disappointed by the fact that she was only able to more or less confirm what they already knew: that it was unlikely Oharn Gaya killed himself and that Rotana Vesh was probably behind the cover-up.

As for the other aspects of the investigation, Ryokumo continued in his attempts to befriend Aeyir under the guise of giving him advice for attending the Academy, but the boy had yet to say anything as useful as he had during Ryokumo’s first encounter with him. Instead, he just reiterated that he was worried for his brother, who was far from the cheerful and pleasant boy he used to be. Mallicent was shutting himself away and becoming distant and bitter, and Aeyir just couldn’t figure out what had caused it. To make matters worse, Aeyir knew next to nothing about the Stellareid researcher Mallicent was working for—a man who was a complete enigma to them.

Even after keeping their eyes open, they hadn’t come across even a hint of who this man may be. They couldn’t get into the lab, nor could Aeyir supply them with a name. They didn’t even know if he was living inside the castle or if he stayed down in the city. If they hadn’t been told of his existence then they never would have known the man was operating in Aquesen, and it was frustrating that they had utterly failed to track him down.

So what are we supposed to do? Abi wondered for what felt like the millionth time. I know we’re here to observe and that King Markreas only intends to act against Hiriech when he has strong evidence, but I worry about what might happen if we don’t handle this fast enough. We don’t even know what caused Dreek Willow to explode in the first place. We know nothing except that there might be answers in Mallicent’s room—a place we aren’t even allowed to go into.

Abi sighed as she lay on the couch in the main room of hers and Album’s quarters, gazing up at the ceiling absently. The sun was setting, causing warm orange hues to shine through the window, and behind her at the table, she could hear Album flipping through the pages of a book she had borrowed from Aquesen’s library. On the liquet coffee table just in front of the couch, Nigreos and Ryokumo were playing cards, though since it was a game Abi had never heard of, she wasn’t really sure who was winning, but given how smug Ryokumo appeared, she could at least guess that he thought he was in the lead.

If not for the restless atmosphere that permeated the air, the scene would have been rather relaxing, but there was an unspoken frustration among the four of them that they could all sense. For a while, Abi merely listened to the soft chatter and occasional curses of the boys as they played, and like she typically did when she zoned out, she reached up and toyed with the crown of colorful flowers wrapped around her head, closing her eyes and imagining the face of the little girl that had gifted it to her all those years ago.

Think, Abi. Is there anything else we can do that wouldn’t go against the king’s orders? Is there something we’re missing? Think!

But she came up with nothing before her thoughts were interrupted by a knocking at the door, and when Album jumped up to open it, Princess Ilirianna entered the quarters. Nigreos was quick to get to his feet and bow with Album, but Ryokumo and Abi still weren’t as practiced in proper etiquette so they didn’t immediately react like the nobles did. Before either could scramble to their feet, Ilirianna chuckled and shook her head.

“How many times do I have to tell you to knock that off?” she mused. “You don’t have to bow to me. In fact, I’d prefer it if you didn’t, you got that?”

Nigreos and Album both seemed conflicted, and Abi could only guess that they were stuck between going against etiquette and disobeying the princess, but Abi was glad that Ilirianna didn’t expect them to bow every time she entered a room since she was never fast enough to do so anyway. However, she did sit up and face the princess with some modicum of respect as the emerald-haired woman glanced between them all.

“How can we help you, Princess?” Nigreos inquired, speaking for the four of them like he often did in her presence. “Has something come up? Have we learned anything?”

Ilirianna didn’t hide her own displeasure as she scowled. “Nope. Still nothing, of course.” Even though she had spoken in support of Nakoma, Abi could tell that she was just as annoyed by their lack of progress as the rest of them were. “Unfortunately, I’m here for utterly pointless reasons. Lord Malloway has once again invited us to have dinner with him and his family…or at least some of us.”

Speaking with a slight touch of anger, Ilirianna practically spat out those last words, and Abi could easily guess what she meant.

“So…he invited you, Nigreos, and Album then?” Ryokumo asked with an amused expression, to which Ilirianna nodded.

“Yes, he did, so I have to apologize to the two of you, Abi, Caeli, since Lord Malloway didn’t see fit to invite you.”

“Apologize?” Ryokumo grinned smugly. “As if I’d want to go to another one of those boring dinners with the old bastard, especially given how little he seems to give a shit about us. He’s doing us a favor by rejecting us, isn’t that right, Abi? We can just stay here and have tons of fun playing cards all night!”

Abi couldn’t help but laugh, noticing the disappointed expressions on Nigreos and Album’s faces, who clearly didn’t want to go to dinner either. “Yeah, I can’t really disagree. You’ll have to teach me how to play, though.”

“Well I’m glad you’re not disappointed,” Ilirianna said before glancing over to the nobles. “We’re leaving right now, so if the two of you would join me, that would be perfect.”

“Y-yes, My Princess, of course,” Nigreos answered with a sigh, and Album echoed his affirmative.

“Great. In that case, I want the two of you to change into something more formal and then meet me in the dining hall.”

At her order, Nigreos swiftly excused himself to head off to his own quarters for a change of clothes while Album simply moved into the adjacent bedroom, leaving Abi and Ryokumo alone with Princess Ilirianna, who Abi expected would be departing the quarters alongside Nigreos. Content with another night to themselves, the two of them were about to take their seats at the coffee table to start a game of cards when Ilirianna surprised them both by suddenly speaking.

“And just so you know,” she began casually, glancing away from them and twirling her finger around a strand of her hair. “Lord Malloway told me that Mallicent would be attending this dinner, and if I had to guess, we’ll probably be in the dining hall for around an hour or so. That means there won’t be anybody in his quarters for the duration of the meal, so I don't want either of you getting tempted by such an ideal opportunity to break inside. Under no circumstances should you two jump at this chance to go upstairs and investigate. No circumstances whatsoever, even though I know that a basic countercharm, one any Academy student would know, could probably unlock the door and let you in.”

At first, Abi had only partially listened to what the princess was saying, as they had already been lectured plenty of times about not taking action and she wasn’t in the mood to hear it again, but as Ilirianna continued to talk, Abi could only furrow her brow and gaze up at the young woman with confusion, as did Ryokumo.

“P-Princess?” the wind mage stuttered.

“Yes, Caeli?” She responded tonelessly, but as she gazed down at the two of them, she subtly winked, a very soft smile curling the corner of her lips.

“B-but, the king’s orders?” Abi murmured hesitantly. “We aren’t—”

“You’re right, that’s why I’m telling you not to break in during this ideal opportunity, Abigail.”

And with that vague response, the conversation was abruptly ended by Album’s reemergence in a rather pretty white silk dress, leaving Ryokumo and Abi to gape as Ilirianna and Album departed. Once they were alone, the two sat in silence for a good few seconds before a wide and excited grin spread across Ryokumo’s face.

“Well, well, well,” he said with a boisterous laugh. “I do wonder whether Master Taurus approves of this, though I highly doubt it. Princess Ilirianna, you do impress me.”

Still utterly baffled, Abi could only shake her head. “Was she being serious? After how firm Master Taurus was, does she actually want us to break into the room? I mean, as frustrating as it is that we have a lead we cannot follow, Master Taurus wasn’t wrong in that if we get caught—”

“Then we won’t get caught, simple as that!” Ryokumo exclaimed, jumping to his feet as if ecstatic at getting such a chance. “I’m not going to force you to join me, Abi, but I am certainly not letting this opportunity pass me up! Mallicent’s hiding something, and I’m going to go get it!”

“Wait just a second!” she protested as Ryokumo made an immediate b-line for the door. “Right now?! Just like that?! We’re just gonna do this?!”

“Obviously!” he stated. “We don’t have forever, so we’ve got to take advantage of the time we do have. Are you coming or not?”

“I, er, well…”

It’s not like I can just leave him to do this on his own, but…if we fail… Abi tightened her lips in thought, once again reaching up to gently grasp one of the flowers in her hair. But people have been killed by these combustions. I’ve wanted to do something because I don’t want anybody else to get hurt. Shoot… I don’t have a choice, do I?

“F-fine. Let’s go.”

“Perfect!”

Ryokumo swung open the door and peeked out into the corridor before stalking through and heading off in the direction of the northern tower, Abigail close on his heels. She could feel her heart beating out of her chest, but she swallowed back her anxiety and prepared herself for what was to come. Even at that time of the afternoon, the corridors were rather busy with servants and other castle staff rushing here and there to complete preparations for the ball, and since they were so distracted, they hardly paid Abi and Ryokumo any attention. As expected, there were also guards patrolling the halls, but she knew that nobody would question them while they were still on the fourth level, and it was only once they arrived at the foot of the spiral staircase that Ryokumo beckoned for her to stand just beside him, then cast Disto, the distortion spell.

The air around them altered itself, concealing their presence and making it appear as if they weren’t actually there. However, it wouldn’t perfectly hide them, as it did nothing to prevent sound from escaping the magic. In addition, the distorted air would sometimes give off a soft glistening that could be noticed by more observant individuals, and their mana signatures could still be detected by powerful mages. It was for this reason that they waited as long as they did to cast the spell, for if they were caught under distortion, it would be disastrous.

Keeping close together, the two of them silently moved up the staircase and onto the seventh level, and it was there that they had to be ridiculously cautious. Not long after they emerged from the staircase, a pair of guards came marching in their direction, talking softly to one another, though their words were nothing of importance, so the two of them pressed their backs up against the wall and held their breath as the men passed. Only once they could no longer hear their footsteps did they continue onwards. To their relief, upon reaching the door to Mallicent’s quarters, there were no guards in sight.

“Alright, let’s see here…” Ryokumo whispered, gently placing his hand against the wood. “A basic countercharm, huh?”

Abi kept close watch on either side of the corridor while Ryokumo muttered a few spells here and there, cursing when one didn’t work, until finally, she heard him softly cheer in success. When she glanced back over her shoulder, she saw him gently pushing the door open.

“Inside,” he hissed, and the two of them were swift to slip into the room and quietly shut the door behind them.

Abi was beyond relieved that they had successfully made it, but there was still far more for them to do, and she couldn’t help but feel that the worst was ahead of them.

***

Ilirianna and Album met up with Nigreos, who was now dressed in a black suit and tie, just outside of the double doors of the dining hall. Once the three of them were together, they entered the lavish room to find all four Malloways, as well as Nakoma, already awaiting them, each one dressed in similar formal attire to Nigreos and Album, though Ilirianna remained wearing her green and gold velvet tunic and skirt, as well as her knee-high boots. She really didn’t feel up to attending the dinner given all that had been going on, but even she could see the prime opportunity provided to her by doing so. Just as she could tell her team was, the Princess of Ijiria was beyond frustrated at how tied their hands were, and though Nakoma was one hundred percent correct in his reasoning, Ilirianna just couldn’t stand by and ignore such unnerving information.

Abi’s negative readings on Mallicent and the guards, this mysterious project Mallicent’s involved in, and then that strange voice that Album heard…? I don’t like any of this. Something bigger than Father expected is going on in this city, and I’m not about to let them get away with it. I know it’s risky, but I don’t care. Good luck, Abigail. Good luck, Caeli. I trust you to do what needs to be done.

“Ah, welcome, welcome!” Lord Malloway greeted from his spot at the head of the long rectangular table. “Take a seat, please. Dinner will be out shortly.”

Ilirianna smiled pleasantly, but internally, she was scoffing at the man. So you didn’t have any problem inviting only half of my royal team—and the noble half, that is? Do you not see this as a slight towards me? Or perhaps you don’t care? Pathetic.

As she had initially suspected, Lord Malloway invited her to Aeyir’s ball because he believed he could gain something from her. Most likely, he wanted to try and set the base for a marriage between her and Aeyir, but with her team now present, he might even see Album as a potential match should Ilirianna decline.

Or perhaps he’ll simply try to set her up with Mallicent. Marry one son to the princess and another to the future Lady of Noctalus. Since Nigreos is the eldest Noctis, he probably sees a friendly relationship with him as useful, too. He just doesn’t see value in Abigail and Caeli, and that's blatantly obvious.

“Good evening, My Lord, My Lady,” Ilirianna greeted, taking her seat beside Nakoma and across from Yoral, Aeyir, and Mallicent.

Nigreos and Album then sat down in the chairs on Ilirianna’s left, and since the princess was already keeping a close and subtle eye, she was watching Mallicent’s expression, only to see him regarding Album with narrowed and suspicious eyes. The boy was clearly annoyed at getting dragged to the dinner, and Ilirianna was grateful that he was once again forced into joining them, for it provided them with the opening they needed.

“I was speaking with Master Taurus before you arrived, but I trust your stay has been comfortable?” the lord inquired, folding his ring-covered fingers on the table. “And if there is anything else we can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you, My Lord, but we have been perfectly fine,” she assured him with a fake but believable smile. “The food has been fantastic, the rooms are more than comfortable and very welcome after the long trip here. I confess that it’s been so comfortable that I have yet to have a chance to visit the city.”

“Ah, well if you do, I recommend taking at least one trip on the ferry. It goes all the way down the river and into the forest before turning back. Truly, it’s a very relaxing experience, and one I would take more often if it wasn’t such a hassle to go down there for me.” Lord Malloway chuckled. “There’s been a lacking respect for me by the people these past few years, and I’ve been attacked once or twice by radical extremists, so I’ve tended to avoid going into Hiriech. I would recommend the same of you, My Princess. Only go if you can ensure your safety.”

Ilirianna nodded. “I appreciate the warning. I’ll take heed of it.”

Of course, Ilirianna could more than handle herself against some commoners, but she decided not to mention such a thing, and instead opted to play nicely with him. For the next few moments, they made some casual chatter, though it was predominantly Lord Malloway and Aeyir speaking to Ilirianna and Nakoma, with the other four remaining rather quiet. Eventually, dinner was brought out by the castle staff and as expected, it was yet another dish of grilled freshwater fish alongside a variety of vegetables. As much as she tended to like fish, she couldn’t imagine eating it as often as the Malloways seemed to.

“So, Master Taurus, how are things with Masters these days?” Lord Malloway inquired. “I’ve heard Master Grunly is getting quite old. Is there any talk of his retirement, or does he at least have a successor lined up?”

Nakoma shrugged, clearly holding back the irritable expression he typically made at the mention of Grunly’s lack of an apprentice. “From what I know, Master Grunly still intends to stick around for the foreseeable future. He despises the idea of retiring, so I expect him to remain with us until he does finally keel over.”

“And as for his apprentice,” Ilirianna chimed in, seeing a prime opportunity to get a subtle jab in at the lord for slighting her. “Well, he personally recommended Abigail to the Academy, and he has emphasized a strong interest to take her on as an apprentice when she graduates.”

A look of mild surprise crossed the man’s features. “Abigail, you say? Ah, I suppose that explains why a girl of her status is on your team then. I was under the impression that she was merely a byproduct of Young Album’s recruitment.”

“No, of course not,” Ilirianna stated. “All four of my team members were selected for their skill. There were no byproducts to speak of. Abigail and Caeli are more talented than most young mages I’ve ever met.”

She spoke politely, but she made sure to leave a subtle hint of displeasure in her words so that Malloway would know just how irritated she was with him, and though he, too, kept his features pleasant and polite, she could just barely see the embarrassment in his eyes as he picked up on what she was communicating.

“W-well, I suppose so, yes,” he stammered. “I’ll have to invite them next time. That being said…” He clearly wanted to turn the conversation elsewhere, so he cleared his throat and turned to stare at the Noctalus. “Nigreos, Album, tell me… How have your first days at the Academy been? As I’ve already said, Aeyir will be attending next fall, so I thought it could be beneficial for him and Mallicent to hear from the two of you. Would you mind?”

“Oh, not at all, My Lord,” Nigreos answered. “To be perfectly honest, as stressful as it can be, once orientation is over, it’s actually quite easy to fall into a routine and get comfortable. Most of the stress falls on that first day, but given that one doesn’t have much control over their partners, the best you can do is have faith in your skills and do your best.” The dark mage smiled and turned to address Aeyir specifically. “It would also be good to keep an eye out for anybody whose names you recognize from among the rest of your year and select a team that you believe you can work with. Album and I chose each other because we were familiar with one another. I’m sure Ryokumo has said as much.”

Aeyir smiled back at him and nodded. “Thank you, Lord Noctis. Yes, Mr. Caeli has said similar things and I am grateful for both his advice and yours. I look forward to attending alongside you all.”

“You’ve been speaking with Caeli?” Lord Malloway inquired with an interested tone.

“Yes, he offered me advice on their first night here, right after the banquet,” Aeyir answered. “He’s been very considerate so I can see why Princess Ilirianna would find him worthy. He offered assistance to Mal, too, but he just brushed him off.”

As his brother mentioned him, Mallicent visibly scowled, and Lord Malloway’s expression quickly turned to rage as he faced his youngest son. “You declined him? Why? Any advice, even from a common foreigner, can be useful. Why would you blow him off, Mal?”

“Why not? I’m not attending the damn Academy for two years anyway, so who cares?” he grumbled. “Besides, the man’s annoying as hell.”

“Mallicent!” the lord hissed. “Do not speak in such a way about a member of the royal team! And especially not in the Princess’s presence!”

“Tch, whatever.” The boy then narrowed his eyes and snorted. “May I be excused, Father? I’d much rather be doing literally anything else right now, so if you wouldn’t mind…?”

“Absolutely not! We have already discussed that you need to reign in your attitude while our guests are here, so watch your tongue, Boy!” Malloway’s features contorted in unrestrained frustration, making it clear that the two of them had been arguing far more frequently than even Ilirianna had believed.

Both Lady Yoral and Aeyir seemed uncomfortable, but as awkward as it was, Ilirianna was pleased to have an opportunity to personally observe some of the strain in the Malloway family. There was a clear divide between Mallicent and the rest, and given the differences in Abi’s appraisal of them, it was becoming quite possible that Mallicent, if involved in this conspiracy, was acting separately from the rest of his family.

So if Lord Malloway knows about this secret project, perhaps it's unrelated to the combustions? Or maybe even he doesn’t know all of the details of what’s taking place down there?

However, Ilirianna was unable to ruminate on the subject for long before Mallicent got to his feet. “I’m finished, Father. If you need me, I’ll be in my room.”

“Mallicent, sit back down!”

Ignoring his father’s protests, Mallicent turned and moved to stalk from the room. Ilirianna’s heart dropped as she realized that she had to do anything she could to prevent the boy from returning to his quarters. Her mind spun as different options popped into her mind, and with only a few seconds to think, she grabbed one at random and calmly said,

“Mallicent. I understand that you’re interested in research.”

The boy came to an abrupt stop just in front of the doorway, and though Ilirianna could sense the confusion from the lord, who probably wondered how she had learned such a thing, Ilirianna focused only on Mallicent, wanting to try and lure him back to the table for Abi and Ryokumo’s sake.

To her relief, Mallicent glanced back at her with an inquisitive stare. “Aeyir told you, I imagine?”

“He told Caeli, who told me,” she corrected. “They say you’re quite fascinated by science. I was curious to know what branch of research you specialize in, for the Citadel always has need for young minds to bring different perspectives to our work.”

“Princess,” Lord Malloway began with a hesitant tone. “With all due respect, research is nothing but a passion project for him. He will be a mage.”

“And he still can be,” she told the man. “There are plenty of mages at the Academy who study with our specialists in the Citadel on the side. It’s not unheard of, so please let your son speak. I asked him, not you.”

Giving Malloway a stern stare that she was sure Nakoma wouldn’t approve of, Ilirianna then turned back to await Mallicent’s response, who still hadn’t moved from his spot, though she could now see an intrigued look in his eyes.

“T-that’s…possible?” he muttered.

“It is, yes. And I could always put in a good word for you with Headmaster Tykon if you can provide me with some examples of your experience,” she suggested. “Again, just tell me what branch you focus on, and show me some of the projects you’ve both worked on in the past, as well as some you are currently involved in, and I could even sort out a way for you to speak with some Citadel researchers within the year. Oh, of course…I would also like to speak with a professional you’ve worked for.”

Framing everything in a way that would be beneficial to him, Ilirianna set the boy up to potentially provide her the information she sought, while also trying to keep him from departing. She could see the excitement in his eyes and knew he wanted it, telling him that she had him right where she wanted him. Yet, her plan was ruined by the very man she was starting to suspect was responsible for the change in Mallicent’s attitude.

“No, My Princess, I really must protest,” Lord Malloway stated firmly. “Members of the House of Malloway are mages and warriors. No son of mine is going to be shutting themselves away in a laboratory. My children will be in the army or part of the Korrei-Tarr. They will make names for themselves and live up to their family legacy. So while we appreciate the help, Mallicent does not need such charity.”

Ilirianna grit her teeth in frustration as Mallicent’s gaze turned from hopeful to furious, and with a fiery glare toward his father, the boy stormed from the room without another word. The princess’s shoulders slumped and a feeling of dread washed over her as she realized just what her failure to keep him there meant.

Uh oh…

***

Upon forming a small ball of fire in her hand to illuminate the darkened room, Abigail scanned the main living area of Mallicent Malloway’s quarters, failing to locate anything of obvious note, but Ryokumo didn’t even bother checking as he cast his own light and strode toward the hallway on the right wall to approach the bedroom. Startled by that fact, Abi frowned and rushed after him.

“Hold on, Ryokumo,” she whispered, despite being able to sense that they were alone. “Shouldn’t we check the front room first?”

The young man shook his head. “No, we’ve only got a limited amount of time, and I think that anything Mallicent’s hiding would have a higher chance of being in his bedroom. If we come up with nothing in there, then we’ll check the living room.”

“O-okay…”

Deciding to follow his lead for the moment, Abi went with Ryokumo into the hall and toward the door in the very back that, based on the security charm she could sense on it, was most likely the way into the bedroom. The wind mage got to quick work dismantling the charm, and though it took a few minutes longer to break when compared to the main entrance, a mage of Ryokumo’s stature was still more than able to succeed. In Abi’s mind, the very fact that the security was heavier there led her to agree with Ryokumo’s prior statement regarding where any clues might be kept.

Stepping into the bedroom, the both of them took a moment to survey their surroundings both with their eyes and with magic. On the left wall was a large red canopy bed with small tables on either side of it and drawers around the base. On the right was a perfectly clean desk without a single piece of parchment left atop it, though Abi didn’t miss the multiple drawers along its side. The ceiling was rather high, and there were a handful of extinguished lamps along the walls that they quickly lit with the balls of flame still flickering in their left palms. With the room illuminated, they moved further inside, and Abi glanced ahead to see two paned-glass doors with a white stone balcony on the other side. In the time it took them to arrive at the room, the sun had already set and the stars were glittering in the night sky.

“I don’t sense anything immediately obvious,” Ryokumo muttered almost to himself. “So it’s possible Mallicent moved whatever it was that spoke to Album. That being said, I didn’t sense it the last time I was here either, so…”

“Let’s get to work then,” Abi finished. “I’ll check through the bed drawers and you see what you can find in the desk.”

“Sounds good to me.”

The two of them didn’t waste any time, though it was quickly apparent to Abi that she probably wasn’t going to find anything, for each drawer she pulled open didn’t have any security charms in place, and all she found within the first three she checked were Mallicent’s neatly-folded clothing. But to her relief, when Ryokumo reached the desk, she could hear him laughing.

“And these charms are even more challenging than the last ones!” he mused aloud. “Whatever he’s got, it's probably in here.”

Content that Ryokumo would handle breaking through those charms, Abi continued crawling around the base of the bed, yanking open more drawers of clothing without finding anything of value, all the while listening to Ryokumo’s consistent cursing, indicating each failure to break through the security.

“Hey, Ryokumo?” she called over to him once she had verified that the bed contained only clothing. “I just thought about this, but shouldn’t we put the front door’s charm back up?”

He just absently shook his head as he continued messing with the desk drawer. “No. Just in case we have to make a quick escape, we won’t want to have to try and work our way through it again. Not to mention, I’m not the greatest at putting up security charms, so it would be a waste of time to struggle through setting it back up, taking it down, and putting it up again.” The young man then grinned slyly and glanced back over his shoulder at her. “Besides, Princess Ilirianna will keep Mallicent from coming back early, so we should be okay. Have faith in the princess!”

She shrugged, deciding his reasoning was sound enough, then wandered back out into the front area to give it a more thorough search. Mallicent’s main room wasn’t much different from that of the room she and Album were staying in, and she didn’t find or sense any compartments or drawers that could be used to hide anything, further increasing the chances that anything useful would be in that desk. Then, after roughly twenty minutes of Abi searching every nook and cranny and Ryokumo determinedly working his way through the charm, the wind mage finally exclaimed with relief,

“Got it!”

Abi turned around and rushed back into the bedroom where she found Ryokumo already sifting through the top drawer. The young man glanced up at her entrance and smiled.

“Abi! Do me a favor and check through all of these papers,” he requested, removing a stack of parchment from the compartment and placing it on the desk’s surface. “While you do that, I’m gonna get to work on the second drawer, and if the charm is even remotely similar to the first, it shouldn’t take as long.”

“R-right…”

Feeling her anticipation growing, Abi made her way over to the desk and gazed down at the small stack of parchment. There was a likely chance that they could contain the very information they sought, and if there was even a slight reference to the combustions, they would finally know for certain if Mallicent was related to the phenomenon or not.

Here we go…

There were five papers in total, and the fact that they were paperclipped together told her that they would almost certainly be related to one another. Walking closer to the firelamp a few feet to the right of the desk, Abi began to skim what she realized were handwritten notes of some kind, with the title at the top simply reading “Observation”.

The young woman frowned in confusion, lowering her eyes to scan through various bullet points.

Subject has been completely silent ever since it was removed from the main body. No messages have yet entered my mind, nor do I expect them to. If I had to guess, being separated leaves it lacking enough power to communicate.

Telepathic communication! It’s exactly like what Album described, but…what are they talking about? What is Mallicent observing and where is it? It only says “subject”.

Abi narrowed her eyes and continued through the rest of the notes.

I have attempted the use of mind magic to communicate with the subject, but given my poor control over that affinity, I cannot say whether it was my fault or not that the experiment failed. Further testing may be required by a mind magic user.

It seems to have some control over its mana output, for I cannot always sense its presence, and observations have led me to conclude that it can, in fact, be awake and concealing its power. This piece is as uncooperative as the rest of it.

Given Doctor M’s findings in regards to the main body, I believe it seeks a host of sorts, like some kind of ancient parasite, though it has never once tried to link itself with any of us. We used Mr. B as a potential host but he was rejected. I attempted to communicate with the piece of the subject, but it was unresponsive. Further tests will be conducted.

Continuing to skim through the rest of the notes, Abi was both fascinated and utterly confused, for there was no mention of the combustions, rather the notes were all about this subject that Mallicent was studying, as well as the research taking place on what was consistently referred to as “the main body”. In addition, “Doctor M” was constantly referenced, and Abi could only conclude that he must be the researcher from Stellareid that Aeyir had told Ryokumo about.

And they’ve referenced that it seeks a host? What the heck are they studying and where is this subject?

Abi’s eyes drifted away from the documents and toward the drawer Ryokumo was still working on, leading her to wonder if the subject they sought was kept in there. Finding herself more anxious for Ryokumo to hurry up, Abi continued reading through the observations, only for her stomach to tighten when she found the most recent note.

For reasons I cannot explain, the subject has abruptly made contact with Album Luz. I could not hear it, nor did it seem could Ryokumo Caeli, so I have concluded it spoke to her and only her. I do not know what it said, but I will find some method of figuring it out, for this is the first instance of it communicating with somebody since it was removed. I will do my best to answer this question before Album departs the city. Reports have already been made to Doctor M.

They’ve taken an interest in Album? That could be bad, but—

“And there we have it,” Ryokumo said under his breath before yanking open the drawer with excitement, revealing the contents of the desk’s second compartment.

At first, Ryokumo and Abi only stared down with confusion, for the drawer was empty save a singular cylindrical item. Exchanging inquisitive looks, Ryokumo reached down and lifted it up into the light, allowing them to see that it was a clear vial that contained some sort of yellowish liquid, as well as a black orb no bigger than a cherry floating in the center.

“What the hell is this?” Ryokumo grunted. “A ball of sludge?”

Abi leaned forward to get a better look at it, placing her face just beside the glass. “Is this the subject? I don’t—”

But she abruptly fell silent and could only stare, for the orb was staring back at her. The solid black layer covering its surface had folded back to reveal a silver iris and a pitch black pupil.

It was an eye.

The black substance closed together a few times, as if blinking, and the eye never turned away from Abi, as if staring through her head and into her soul.

“What the hell?!” Ryokumo hissed, pulling it away from Abi’s face and frantically setting it on the desk. “Why the hell does Mallicent have a severed eye in his desk?!”

The eyeball continued to float, turning to stare first at Ryokumo then back at Abi, leaving the two mages at a complete loss as to what to do. Before they could even begin to come to any sort of decision, they just barely caught the sound of the front door opening just down the hall, followed by rushed footsteps frantically making their way toward the bedroom. Having been stunned by the eyeball, they didn’t have enough time to cover their tracks whatsoever, and all they could do was hide. Ryokumo frantically grabbed Abi’s shoulder and chanted “Disto”, concealing them in distortion and pulling them back toward the wall opposite the desk just as the door swung open to reveal Mallicent Malloway, his eyes wild as he scanned the bedroom with heavy breaths.

Abi’s heart was shaking her ribcage as she and Ryokumo held their hands over their mouths, terrified of what was about to happen. The charm on the doors had been down, both desk drawers were open, the firelamps were lit, the eyeball was on the desk, and Abi still clutched the research notes in her hand. To make matters worse, the balcony doors were shut tight, meaning that at any moment, Mallicent would realize that they were still inside the room.

Shoot! It’s only been a half hour! We should have had more time!

Mallicent stalked inside, his eyes first going to the vial containing the eyeball. He rushed forward and picked it up, seeming to be checking if it had been tampered with.

“What the fuck? How did…? No! My notes!”

Furiously checking the open top drawer, Mallicent brought power to his fingers, fire igniting in his palms, his head snapping in all different directions before his eyes rested on the closed balcony doors. A twisted smile came over his face as he slowly began to turn in their direction, telling Abi that he was trying to sense their presence, so she prayed that Ryokumo’s magic was more powerful than Mallicent’s senses.

What are we supposed to do?! Even if he can’t sense us through magic, he knows we’re here and he knows as a fact that somebody has gone through his things! There’s no way he’s going to let us leave!

Seeming unable to find them, Mallicent noticed one of his bed drawers slightly open, and he gradually began to creep toward it. The closer he got to them, the higher the chance it would be that he could hear them. Panicking, Abi’s mind raced with various possibilities, and within seconds, Mallicent was just barely a few inches from their bubble. If he moved any closer, he would enter the distortion and see them, but he paused just before them, his head turning toward them.

He heard something!

Ryokumo acted before anything else could happen. Extending his hand outwards, he grabbed Mallicent by the face and uttered, “Perkari”. The blade of wind that formed in his hand slammed into Mallicent’s face and launched the boy across the room before he collided with the opposite wall and flopped to the ground, unconscious. Abi gaped at Mallicent in shock, and even Ryokumo seemed stunned by what had happened.

“What did you just do?!” Abi demanded, even more panicked than before. “Is he…?”

“N-no…” Ryokumo stammered. “No, he should be alive. It was a blunted blade.”

“But he took it straight to the face! Ah!”

Despite the situation they found themselves in, Abi rushed out of the distortion and kneeled down beside Mallicent’s unconscious form, carefully pushing him onto his back so she could see the damage, finding a large cut running from the top of his forehead, down his nose, and to his chin, covering his youthful features in blood. Thankfully, and to her utter relief, his chest was still rising and falling with his labored breathing, indicating that he was still alive.

“Okay, okay, he’s not dead. He’s not dead. We aren’t murderers yet…” Trying to reassure herself, Abi placed her hands over his face and began to chant “Benendio” with the intention of closing the massive wound on his face. “What the hell were you thinking?! We can’t just attack a lord’s son!”

Ryokumo’s features were full of obvious anxiety as he quickly darted forward and collected the vial with the eyeball before shoving it in the pocket of his robe. “W-well, I might have panicked just a tad bit, but if he saw our faces, well, I think that would have been disastrous.”

“Killing him would have been disastrous!” she shouted. “Oh gee, oh god!”

Managing to completely close the wound on Mallicent’s face, she hoped that he wouldn’t return to consciousness as she jumped to her feet. “Let’s get out of here now!”

“Hello? Lord Mallicent?” A man’s voice carried into the room from what sounded to be the front door of the quarters. “We heard a loud noise? Are you okay, My Lord?”

“Ah fuck me,” Ryokumo cursed. “Out the balcony then.”

“What?!”

The wind mage sprinted to the double doors, unlocked them, and threw them open before climbing up onto the stone railing, motioning for Abi to do the same. Her panic having long since overwhelmed her, Abi did as she was asked, stuffed the papers into the inner pocket of her tunic, then hurried toward Ryokumo and allowed him to wrap his arm around her waist. From the position on the railing, she found herself on the edge of a massive seven-floor drop down into what seemed to be the northern courtyard, and even though she never considered herself to be that afraid of heights, she still felt lightheaded.

“Alright, off we go!” Ryokumo chirped. “Proto!”

Propelling them over the side of the railing, Abi felt a sudden rush as she was yanked into the sky before Ryokumo manipulated the wind around them to allow them to glide toward the courtyard, throwing up a distortion while they were airborne. They were probably only up there for a handful of seconds, but the time between jumping from the railing and landing in the grass felt like an eternity, and she felt such utter relief at being safely on the ground again.

“I hated that,” she breathed, but since they couldn’t very well remain within sight of the balcony, Ryokumo was already dragging her back towards the castle.

They moved quietly in the direction of Abi and Album’s quarters, never saying a word and coming to complete stops whenever there were guards around. Only once they had entered the safety of the room did Ryokumo drop the distortion and only then did they take a sigh of relief.

“What the heck are we gonna do?!” Abi finally exclaimed “Mallicent’s gonna know somebody looted his room and those guards will have found him unconscious, not to mention we actually have the evidence! How are we going to get out of this?!”

“I-I mean, I don’t know, but… We certainly found a good few clues, didn’t we?” Ryokumo laughed awkwardly, as if the weight of their situation hadn’t fully processed for him. “Those papers? What was in those papers, Abi?”

“I-I’ll explain when everybody’s back together. Even I don’t know what to make of it, but it sounded like that eyeball thing was some sort of subject!” Rambling through her words, Abi started to pace around, using her right hand to fiddle with her flowers. “They were studying it and they said it was a piece of a larger body. Did they remove somebody’s eye then? I don’t…” She shook her head. “Let me see it again, Ryokumo.”

Abi held out her palm so he could give her the vial and the wind mage nodded, sticking his hand into his pocket to remove it. Yet, his brow suddenly furrowed as he continued to rummage inside, only for him to give her the guiltiest smile she had ever seen.

“Well… You see… About that…”