Chapter 261: High Magus Kael
"Search the area!"
Lennox’s command cut through the noise of the port. His guards scattered immediately, fanning out to hunt for any sign of Leonardo. A dry, humorless laugh escaped him. He hated how easily guilt had crept into his chest. Maybe that was why he suspected Leonardo had slipped away in the beginning. He’d always prided himself in patience and control, but this was getting out of hand.
His gaze locked on Donovan. The man stood there, arms crossed, looking far too calm for Lennox’s liking. He strode toward him with deliberate steps.
"Where is Leonardo?" his voice was edged with barely restrained anger. "He’s not the type to run. So where the hell is he?"
Donovan arched a brow, unfazed. "And I’m supposed to know because...?" His voice dropped with mockery. "We were all here, remember? Maybe if you weren’t so fixated on me like some jilted lover, you’d still have him under your watch. Go look for him, and stop bothering me."
While the others were clearly worried about Leonardo’s unexpected disappearance, including Esme, Lennox realized from their reactions that none of them truly knew where he had gone.
Althea helped Acheron onto a nearby bench, and turned to Esme, her expression tense.
"What do we do now?" she asked.
Esme frowned, uncertainty flickering across her face. She didn’t know what had happened or why Leonardo had vanished, but if there was one thing she trusted about him, it was his sense of purpose. Whatever this was, it wasn’t without reason. And with Cora missing as well, it was possible the two were working together on something.
"We’ll move on without them," she said finally.
Her words made everyone turn to her in surprise.
"The guards can keep searching," she continued, her tone steady. "But we don’t know when– or if– they’ll be found soon. For now, we focus on clearing our name. Once that’s done, we’ll split up and search for them properly. Mariana isn’t our territory. We can’t afford to act recklessly... or what do you think, Don?"
She turned to Donovan, who simply replied with a curt nod. Her gaze shifted to Lennox.
"Of course, we can’t move ahead unless you say so. I only gave my opinion regarding the matter. It’s your decision to take it or leave it. Unless you have something else in mind?"
"You really think clearing your name will get you out of this mess?" Lennox asked.
"We’ve been clearing our name all our lives," Lothar spoke up. "There’s a possibility that someone might believe us. Someone who won’t send his people to destroy our home." There was a subtle hint of accusation in Lothar’s voice, and Lennox’s scowl deepened.
"Every one of you is a murderer, so don’t play victim here."
"You seem awfully comfortable threatening murderers," Donovan snapped. "We’ve already agreed to do things your way. Right now you’re only escalating the matter. Are you afraid he’s going to be right? Afraid that at some point you’ll realize your mistakes and have to atone for every single one? Cause trust me, that day is definitely coming."
There was a low rumble in the sky, and a cool breeze swept through the uneasy silence.
"It seems like it’s going to rain," Revana murmured, glancing up at the cloud. "Doesn’t matter if we want to stay behind anymore. We have to go."
Lennox was able to shake off the uncomfortable weight that settled in his chest. The few guards still lingering about came forward at his signal.
"Let’s go."
Lennox ordered, and moments later, the creak of carriage wheels filled the port’s exit. The storm broke long after, washing the road behind them in gray.
********
The carriages rolled to a slow halt as the golden lights of Mariana’s capital shimmered into view. Beyond the stone bridge, the city rose in layered grandeur, domes and spires gleaming beneath a half-moon. Magic hummed faintly in the air, alive in the shimmering wards that traced the skyline like veins of light.
It made sense that the true bearer hadn’t reached this place yet. The capital was the heart of magecraft itself. Esme saw the wiseness in this barrier.
Lennox stepped down first, his boot striking the marble path slick with mist. The air was cooler here, unnervingly still. Every archway and window pulsed with a soft, inner glow, as though the stones breathed with arcane life. The scent of rain mingled with the faint tang of burnt incense, filling the air with something foreign– beautiful, yet unsettling.
Esme and Donovan stepped down as well. Before then loomed the palace– a vast citadel of domes and minarets. Its gate was flanked with statues so life-like they seemed to breathe on their own. The path leading up was long and winding, heavy with the weight of expectation.
"Even though I made it clear what to expect, why did you still come without protest?"
Lennox asked as he led them forward, Donovan keeping close behind.
He replied evenly, "Only a man who’s done something wrong runs away from confrontation."
Lennox shot him a sidelong glance, surprise flickering across his face. For once, the familiar hostility between them wasn’t quite there.
The great bronze doors groaned open, spilling golden light across the marble steps. Inside, the hall was vast, a cathedral of glass and gold. Arcane sigils drifted through the air like living motes of dust, pulsing softly in shades of violet and cerulean blue.
Esme and the others stared in awe. They had never seen anything like it. In Illyria, magic wasn’t always their main focus. Their strength lay in their wolves and steel. Yet this was something entirely.
The guards flanking the hallway stood poised and silent, their beauty almost unsettling. Their features were sharp and luminous. They watched the newcomers with calm precision, their hands resting lightly on their weapon.
From the far end of the hall, a figure descended the grand staircase. His robe was a deep midnight-blue, threaded with silver that caught the light like constellations in motion.
Just like Lennox, he was a young king.
The tip of his staff tapped softly against the marble. His hair shimmered like strands of dark silk, and his eyes– an ethereal, glacial blue– held the kind of calm that came only from immense, dangerous power.
"Lennox," the man greeted, his voice smooth yet distant as he stood a few feet away from him. "You’ve brought quite the company."
Lennox’s fist came to his chest in a gesture of respect, mirrored by the young man at his side. "High Magus Kael."
He turned slightly, gesturing to those behind him. "These are the ones I told you about."
Kael’s gaze drifted past him, eyes gleaming.
"And they came willingly?" he asked, studying the group with quiet intrigue.
Esme, remembering their custom, pressed her fist to her chest in return. Donovan hesitated, then copied her.
"Oh... how polite," Kael murmured, amusement flickering in his voice. With a faint smile, he returned the gesture. "We have much to discuss. Shall we?" Turning, he led them toward another set of grand, ornamented doors.
Acheron watched him go, still a little dazed. "When I said the mage folk were ethereal," he muttered under his breath, "I wasn’t exaggerating."
Maybe this might go better than they all expected.