FOREVER KNIGHTS: #4 Battling Black Roses
CHAVIAS - Essius Saves Marod

Stone Peak, Black Mountains, Battling Border

CHAVIAS

Chavias heard the usual sound of a carriage on the road above. Jouncing its way up the mountain. Even from his deep cave chamber he could smell the acrid odor of infection. Someone is ill. Very ill.

Chavias stopped pacing his tiny prison and leaned to peer through the bars of the door down the stone hall. Glimpsing a man walking backward. Carrying something heavy.

The man’s back was clad in a long black cloak with Nightway Castle’s outline etched on the back. A Nightway Advisor to the queen. Why is he down here?

As they moved past the lone torch hanging outside Radix’s personal chambers, Chavias caught sight of another man opposite the advisor. Pale and hunkered with a rounded sloping back.

Essius. The man that had come to the caves months ago and told Radix a Queen would be poisoned.

The Queen of Nightway? Chavias was overwhelmed with curiosity. Wondering what happened to her.

“Queen!” Essius croaked. Gesturing to the woman they balanced on a taut cloak. She stared upward. Eyes milky white.

As Essius said they would be.

Her hands spasmed. Clenching at her chest. She’d clawed through the fabric of her dress and left deep gouges along her shoulders and chest.

An instinctive reaction to poisoning.

Someone wanted her dead. Good. He had no pity for her. She’s Cimmerii.

A part of Chavias hoped somehow Savage Jaxson had played a role in taking down such a critical piece in Radix’s games. The thought gave Chavias comfort.

“Can you save her?” The advisor asked.

“I can.” Radix drawled. “Bring her in.” He waved. Returning to put a withered, veined hand on the advisor’s shoulder. “I’ll need something from you, Yuen.”

“What?”

“Come in. We’ll discuss it.”

Don’t worry, friend. Chavias thought sarcastically. It’s only your spirit, your mind, your will and eventually, your soul.

And he’ll agree to it. Chavias could already tell. That skinny advisor had some stake in that queen ruling over Nightway. And if he’d come all the way to this disconcerting place at Essius’ behest. He’s willing to go much further.