I didn’t bother knocking on the study door, simply opened it and shut it forcefully behind me before stalking to his whiskey cart on the other side of the room. I poured myself a healthy pour before knocking it back and pouring another.
The burn of the alcohol did nothing to assuage my temper or settle my gut, it only fueled the worry and anxiety I’d had all night.
So I tossed my second glass back, just to be sure.
Maybe the buzz would at least dull my thoughts to a low hum.
“I knew you’d be upset, but I severely underestimatedhowupset,” Alois’ droll voice came from behind me, and I spun to see him sitting in his usual chair by the fire.
I grunted, words escaping me at the moment, before flopping into the chair across from him. My full glass of whiskey sloshed over the edges and spilled on my hand. I swore before licking it off and wiping the excess on my pants.
Alois simply raised his eyebrows at me before taking a sip of his own drink.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you this ruffled before, Rohak.” There was amusement and curiosity in his tone. The amusement I understood, and I’d known him long enough to know that he was trying to puzzle me out. I was acting against my usual stoic demeanor, and Alois wanted to know why.
Something deep within my mind whispered not to tell him, so I worked quickly to restore a mask of indifference.
If Alois noticed, he didn’t say anything. Or he was at least waiting until the right moment to say something.
“The Bond appeared to be successful, at least Fay thinks so,” he said instead, and I stiffened involuntarily at the mention. “Both are asleep and any signs of the Mage Sickness appears to have simply . . . disappeared.” He made a poof motion with his hand, and I cracked a small smile.
That, at least, is something positive.
I chose to latch onto that one piece of information, hoping it would help me through this conversation.
“I imagine you have a plan, then? For Faylinn and this new . . . Bond,” I spit the word.
Alois regarded me over his glass, the fire casting shadows over his face. He sighed deeply before continuing. The shadows under his eyes were more pronounced in the firelight. Not for the first time, I was concerned about his health.
“If Fay is right in her assumptions and this Bond allows the Mage and Vessel to share a life source . . . I don’t need to tell you how this could change not just our strategy in this war, but how it could alter Elyria. And what would happen if the runes and information fell into the wrong hands.” He let his words hang in the air and I nodded my head.
Yes, I understand completely.
More than one group would use it to potentially eliminate a mass amount of our Mages at once. All they would have to do is isolate the Vessel from the Mage and kill them, effectively killing both the Vessel and the Mage in one blow. With the Vessel unable to wield any type of magic, they were left open and vulnerable.
“It’s a weak point we’ll have to fix in our instruction. If this Bond becomes prevalent,” I added at the end.
Alois laughed humorously. “A way to keep my Mages healthy indefinitely? For them to heal almost instantly if they’re injured in battle? Yes, Rohak. It will become prevalent.”
I sighed and sat back in my chair, the silence stretching between us as we sipped our drinks.
“I want to pursue this as quickly as possible. Get as many of our unBonded Mages to Bond Vessels in this new way so that the effects can be catalogued and studied. If it appears to have the effects we anticipate, then I want it done on a mass scale.”
I nodded. Unhappy with his choice. When Alois first took the mantle as head of Vespera, we were young and idealistic, and, even if we didn’t hold the same beliefs, he always respected my moral objections. Recently, however, it seemed that he did anything just to reach the end goal only he could see, morals be damned. It was funny, really, that he held such lowregard for Bonds and the gods when he was more closely connected to Kaos than any other living being.
“Understood. Where are we going to get the Vessels? There’s a distinct shortage...especially here.”
Alois smiled again, but it was a lethal thing full of dark promises.
“You leave that to me, Rohak.” And I shuddered internally at the darkness in his voice.
How much of my friend was left? How much had Kaos consumed?
“Hestin needs to be punished, as you well know,” he continued, and I nodded. “Their flagrant disregard for our treaties and agreements cannot stand, and they need to be made an example of. We will start there. Our first Bonding Ceremony will be done on their territory with their Vessels as the volunteers. Or at least we will make it seem like they are volunteering,” he sneered.
I downed the rest of my drink before setting it on the table and pushing to my feet.
“As you command, Alois. I will ready our Mages to leave when you specify.” Part of me thought that the betrayal from Hestin was a convenient excuse to see Lord d’Aelius’ daughter again, but I wouldn’t call him on that tonight.
