Ariadna’s Star: Post 61

“How I’ve missed this,” Amon murmurs.

Astralux coasts through the air, using the gentle breeze to keep her aloft as the sky lights up with orange and purple, the sun peeking just between the mountains to the west directly behind us. I glance back at Amon, his warm brown locks of hair pushed off his face. His golden hazel eyes stare off east, his hand still outstretched to the side. My heart wonders at the pain he feels with the loss of Andeuten. How deep that hurt must go.

Banking around, Astralux flies a little more northeast, flapping her wings to stay up. I know carrying Amon must be difficult for her, but she hasn’t let on if she’s tiring yet. I trust that she’ll say something. Or maybe I’ll feel it—I’m not sure. I pat her on the neck and she gives me a smile out of the corner of her eye.

“I miss flying through these mountains with Andeuten.” Amon groans. I look back to see him rubbing a hand over his heart. “It feels like an eternity.”

Astralux obliges the unspoken request, flying farther north past Adytol until she glides between the mountain peaks. She turns, arching counter-clockwise around Adytol, leisurely making her way in-between the Wintersong Mountains.

“Did you and Andeuten do a lot of scouting through here?” I ask.

“Yes,” Amon says. “I suppose we focused more toward the southwest, toward Klevor and where the Vladykars reside. But of course, the Vladykars could come from any direction, so we would occasionally fly through these areas too.”

I never thought about the Vladykars having a place of residence. “Do we know if the Vladykars have an establishment like us?”

“They reside in Malum Palace,” Amon says.

Astralux glances back, blinking once. “I didn’t realize that’s what it was called,” she pants.

Amon gives a small, sad smile. “No doubt named in honor of Noxmalum.”

Astralux nods but grumbles. She banks around another mountain peak so that we’re southwest of Adytol, but I can see that she’s beginning to tire. I pat her neck again. “Maybe we should head back.”

“There’s a nice place to rest close to here,” Amon says. “If, if you don’t mind.”

Astralux shakes her head. Instead of speaking, however, she glides down slowly, letting Amon direct us to a pretty glade of pine trees down a little along the side of a mountain. The glow from the sunrise has heightened to an orangish-red, the last flickers of the sun peeking between mountain peaks and trees, before it finally disappears when Astralux lands. My bonded dragon takes a couple of bounds forward—from the momentum, I think—and then stops, panting.

I quickly dismount and walk around, looking her in the face. “Are you alright?”

Astralux grins and nudges me in the shoulder. “I’m fine. Just need to catch my breath. And find some water.”

“There’s a brook over here.” Amon dismounts and gestures a little deeper into the glade, where I hear trickling water. “It’s why Andeuten and I stopped here often.”

Astralux pads ahead to the brook and then laps water up. I walk over to where Amon is looking out. He glances at me, gives me one of his heart-melting smiles, and takes my hand.

“Thank you, and Astralux, for your kindness,” Amon says.

“Of course.” I give his hand a gentle squeeze, unsure of how much stronger I am compared to him now, since he’s unbonded. “I only wish we could do more.”

Amon chuckles. “Do more? Estelle, what more could you do?”

I stare out into the darkness of the forests around us. “I’m not sure. I just want to help.”

Smiling, Amon turns to face me, taking both of my hands into his own. “Estelle, I’ve never met such a lovely lady with the strength of faith nor natural kindness that indwells you.” He kisses both of my hands, and my cheeks flush. I dare not look at Astralux—I can feel her grin on my back from where she is by the stream. “You mean so much to me. I’ve dreamt about you often.”

My heart beats hard in my chest. “You’ve been incredibly kind to me. I love you, Amon.”

The smile on Amon’s face tightens for a moment. Then he sighs, letting go of one of my hands and rubbing his chest. “Which is why this might be the most difficult thing I’ve ever done.”

The sudden change in his tone, and the odd comment after my profession of love, catches me off guard. “What do you mean?”

Still catching her breath and drinking water, Astralux pauses and I hear her sniff at the air. “I still smell Andeuten’s breath here.”

“Andeuten’s breath?” I’d never seen him breathe and had never thought to ask. I glance back at her and spot a strange orange gas filtering through the tree leaves. “What’s that?”

Both Astralux and I jump in shock as a lithe dragon with dark brown scales that lighten to a reddish bronze at the tips lunges at Astralux from between the trees, knocking her off her feet.

It’s Andeuten. Alive!

But for some bizarre reason, he’s attacking Astralux, breathing the orange gas all over her face.

“Andeuten!” Astralux, still recovering from her flight, can’t resist breathing the gas in, and she coughs. “Stop! What, how are you alive?!”

“Andeuten!” I start to run forward, but Amon tugs my arm and I’m pulled back. Surprised, by the action and his strength, I turn and stare up at Amon—who’s smirking at my wide-eyed, open-mouth expression.

“You…you knew Andeuten was still alive?” I ask, flabbergasted.

“But of course,” Amon says. “We’re bonded after all.”

“What? But, but, you….” I turn to look at Astralux, who is finally rising to her feet and shaking her head. “Andeuten?”

“Stay down and remain silent,” Andeuten says to Astralux.

Astralux hesitates. I see her muscles bulge. Then she gives another cough and lies down, her teeth bared but no growl emitting from her throat. Andeuten puts his claws over her shoulder, further pinning her down.

“I…I don’t understand.” I stare from Andeuten back to Amon. “What’s…but I thought Andeuten was dead?”

“We needed something convincing,” Amon says.

Andeuten chuckles, his dark eyes glinting by the faint crescent moon above. “And it still wasn’t enough to convince Ward Veremund to take Amon back for the Star.”

My mind swims with confusion, shock, and a slow rising fear as the truth of what’s happening settles into me. Both Amon and Andeuten laugh as I stare between them—and I don’t like the sound. It’s abruptly cold, unkind. A veil of kindness has disappeared, and in its place I begin to sense something dark that I’d never known was there.

“Look at their faces!” Andeuten chuckles as he gestures with his head to me and to Astralux, who’s blue eyes are wide, looking from Andeuten to Amon like I am. “They had no idea.”

 I don’t like where this is going. Ariadna, let me be wrong about where this is going. “Please let Astralux up,” I say, my voice trembling.

Amon gestures to the woods. “Maybe this would make more sense if I introduced some friends of ours.”

Everything inside of me freezes in horror as none other than Vladykar Lochan and Pesokvglazu step out from the darkness, smug smiles mirrored on their faces.

“Evening, my little silver fox,” Vladykar Lochan says. “Astralux.”

Astralux starts to fidget, her claws digging into the ground. Andeuten breathes into her face some more and she ceases to struggle.

Ariadna, no.

I take a step away from Vladykar Lochan, but Amon holds my arm tight, keeping me from going any farther. Still in disbelief, I look up at Amon, but his expression matches Vladykar Lochan’s.

“Lochan just wants to say hello,” Amon says.

Vladykar Lochan walks straight up to me. I reach out to pull Amon’s hand off my arm, but he grabs my other hand and spins me around to face the Vladykar, my arms pinned behind my back. His dark brown eyes dip on me, and I shake from head to foot as Vladykar Lochan strokes my cheek.

“I’ve had a lot of time to think about you, Ward Estelle,” Vladykar Lochan says. “Thankfully, Amon has provided many updates on you.” He grabs my chin, his grip hard, and I flinch. His other hand reaches up, and with one finger he taps the shiny white burn scars on the left side of his face. “I don’t know whether I want to return the favor, or if I want to keep you as unblemished as possible for Malyncor.”

I twist my head, my boots scraping against the mossy ground below as Amon holds me firmly in place. “I don’t, I don’t understand,” I squeak.

Vladykar Lochan grins and looks up at Amon above my head. “You did all too well. The little beauty has no idea.” He tugs once on my ruby pendant, which feels heavy around my neck now. “You stole her heart. I think you’ll have to lay it out for her.” He and Amon tie my hands behind my back, and then Vladykar Lochan pushes me down to my knees. I stare up at them, then at Astralux, who’s now held tightly in place by Andeuten and Pesokvglazu.

Amon sighs and sits on a small rock in front of me. He folds his fingers, watching me. “I’ll make this brief: Andeuten and I were Wards, once. But in time, we realized what fools Ward Veremund and the others were. We saw the futility of what they were doing, and the belief in a god who can’t stop the night. And that was when we realized—Aneiros is the most powerful of all.”

My insides writhe with horror, my skin crawling at the profession. From Amon—the one I thought loved me as I loved him.

“The Vladykars were quite receptive to us,” Amon says. “They became great allies. All they asked is that we continue to pretend to be Wards, to further Anerios’ cause within Adytol.”

“And you did well,” Lochan says. Amon grins.

Andeuten’s tail curls in and out, his sharp teeth exposed in a terrifying smile. “We’ve handed over quite an array of resources to the Vladykars. Supplies. Citizens of Adytol. Even other Wards.”

“Wards?!” I exclaim.

Astralux, who has started to wriggle again, finally manages a growl, but Andeuten breathes on her again, silencing and stilling her with whatever strange effect his breath has.

“You don’t really think that Ward Dolores and Schleifen were just traversing the forests to be so suddenly found by the Vladykars?” Amon smirks. “I led them out and into a trap—just as I led you both out here. Who did you really think the Snake was?”

My vision blurs as my eyes fill with tears. This can’t be happening. This can’t be real.

“I have to tell you, though.” Amon stares at me. “When Lochan first told me of your beauty, Estelle, I didn’t believe him. Lochan has enjoyed many, many women.”

Vladykar Lochan chuckles. “This is true.”

Amon’s smile deepens. “But then I saw you, picking fireweeds out in the forest while I was tracking your movements for Eder and Lochan. And I realized he truly meant he had found the most beautiful Ward of all. Dolores was fair, she made for good sport for a time. But you exceed them all.”

This can’t be happening. This is a terrible nightmare I want to wake from and forget. Astralux makes a noise, growling, before she stills again. I can’t even imagine how furious she is. How hurt. She’s known Amon and Andeuten longer than me. She trusted them longer than I did. A tear escapes down my cheek.

“However,” Amon says, “I’m done hiding.” He gazes at Vladykar Lochan intently. “I’m ready to become an official Vladykar.”

Vladykar Lochan produces a flask of dark liquid from his vest that I’m certain is blood. It glitters a little by the faint moonlight. “Normally this is gifted by one of the leaders, but you’ve waited patiently for this for a long time and aided us in that time.” He holds it out, a grin on his face. “Congratulations, Amon, Andeuten. The blood of Schleifen.”

A flood of more emotions rush through me, some of it anger, and Astralux manages a roar before it’s cut off by Andeuten slamming her head into the ground. I flinch at the pain. However, it’s not due to pain but the heart-rendering sense of betrayal that causes tears to run down my face when Amon accepts the vial from Vladykar Lochan.

“Please, Amon,” I whisper. “Don’t do this.”

“Sh, sh.” Vladykar Lochan keeps a tight hold of my shoulder with one hand, his other playing with my braided hair. “This is a grand moment.”

Andeuten breathes on Astralux again before nearing, watching Amon. They share a long look and then Amon nods. He uncorks the vial. I begin to shake again.

“To Aneiros,” Amon says solemnly.

“To Aneiros,” Andeuten agrees.

Amon puts the vial to his lips and drinks. Astralux manages the tiniest yelp of horror and rage. My own cry gets stuck in my throat as Amon doesn’t even hesitate—he downs the blood, taken in cold betrayal. He sucks every ounce of it dry, and then once finished lowers the flask, panting a little.

A shadow falls over the area. The little light around us darkens, especially around Amon and Andeuten, and I hear a chilling whisper near them. I lean back, wanting to move away, but Vladykar Lochan holds me in place on my knees.

Amon suddenly jerks, holding a hand to his heart. He blinks once, breathing slow and even, and then gives a grunt as he falls to his knees. Andeuten mimics him, growling and digging up the moss around. A shout works its way out of Amon as he looks at the ground, his body convulsing. The shadows darken, writhing over the bonded pair, and the whispers turn into faint screeches, like the sound of metal scraping against metal. Inside my vest, I can feel Ariadna’s Star pulsing strong, a warmth by my heart, as the area all around chills as if it were suddenly the dead of winter.

Then the darkness lessens a little. The whispers subside. Amon and Andeuten stop convulsing, both panting. Andeuten lifts his head first, and while I don’t see a visible change, I can tell that something’s different. His dark eyes have lost a light that was there before. Even the glint of his dark brown scales gives off a shine that has shadows in it.

But the subtle changes in the dragon don’t prepare me for when Amon lifts his head. I gasp in horror.

His golden hazel eyes, once lovely to me, now have slits for his pupils and are angled slightly on his head, giving him an eerie and unnatural look. Amon rises to his feet, staggering, his creepy eyes wide as he looks around. He stares down at his hand—which looks like it’s gained claws—and stretches it out.

A plume of orange gas appears in the palm of his hand, just as if Andeuten had breathed—magic. The magic of Aneiros.

Amon grins, and I start again—he has fangs now. Similar to many of the other Vladykars. A chuckle works its way out of Amon, and Andeuten growls, sounding pleased.

“Congratulations,” Vladykar Lochan says, “Vladykar Amon and Andeuten.”

I lower my head as tears stream down my face.

Ariadna, wake me from this nightmare.