“Lucky is an understatement. A beast passed by chance near a secluded spot chosen for an ambush and bothered helping strangers. I’d call it a miracle but there’s no point looking the gifted horse in the mouth.” Sylpha had many doubts, but she couldn’t afford to express them.
Vastor was one of the Kingdom’s greatest assets in the War of the Griffons. The Crown couldn’t afford to lose him. The truth would have to wait.
While Orion was still staring at Vastor in envy, another Warp Gate opened.
Two Royal Guards had found the site of the ambush and brought Celbas the Griffon with them after applying first aid. They had given him plenty of tonics before finishing to heal his wounds, yet he was still drowsy.
“You bastard!” Orion escaped the King’s grip and punched Celbas in the face, sending him tumbling to the ground. “I had entrusted my Little Flower to you. What kind of man can’t even protect the woman he’s dating? You’re no Divine Beast, just Divine Scum!
“How come she’s gone whereas you are in one piece? Did you abandon my daughter to save your miserable hide?”
The Royals, Lith, and Jirni tackled Orion. They pinned his face on the floor, more eager to learn any clue that might help rescue Phloria than pointing fingers.
“I admit that I failed to protect Phloria, but I didn’t abandon her. We were outnumbered and outmatched.” Knowing how cheap words were Celbas used a mind link to share his memory of the events.
He didn’t hide anything, without even attempting to cover for his wounded pride. Everyone saw him being put down like a puppy. How helpless he had been despite his mighty body and Tyris’ blood coursing through his veins.
“To answer your question, the one called Iata was right. Had they killed me, my mother would have sought revenge, and with her every member of the family who cares for either me or her.” The Griffon said.
“Now, instead, even if I die in the attempt to save Phloria, no one will care. It would be my choice and my death would be a consequence of my weakness and stupidity.”
With no hope left nor someone to blame, Orion ceased his struggle and broke into tears.
“Please, Jirni, I beg of you. Be honest with me and tell me that this is just another of your sick ploys. I promise that I won’t get mad at you. Just tell me that my Little Flower is alright and I’ll forgive you.” He looked at her with desperate eyes, hoping that once again he was the victim of his wife’s deception.
“I’d love to tell you that you are right but it would be a lie.” Jirni clenched her fists to find the strength to shatter Orion’s delusion. “I played no role in all this. Phloria is really gone and I have no idea where she is.”
“I see.” Orion replied and everyone saw his eyes become empty and dull.
Jirni was afraid that grief would get the best of him yet his eyes steeled and he regained his cool instead.
“Then there’s no time to waste. I’ll join the recon teams in the search for the Golden Griffon. We must find it before the Unwavering Array takes root. Thrud won’t dare kill Phloria before she spills everything she knows.” Orion’s words reassured everyone but Lith.
Phloria knew about the tower, about Solus, and even about what each floor did. Her capture was a security nightmare for the Kingdom but for Lith, it was even worse.
“Are you going to help us, Celbas?” Orion asked, obtaining a nod in reply.
“I’m going to do better than that. I’m going to ask my mother for help.” The Griffon said.
“What about you Lith? Do you think you can pull off another of your miracles?” Orion asked. “You have rescued my Little Flower at the academy, in Kulah, and the Feymar mines. I know you can do it again.”
“I’ll do everything in my power to find and rescue her, you have my word.” Lith nodded. “I’m going to ask my Dragon and Phoenix brethren for help and then I’m personally going out to look for her.”
He and Celbas Spirit Warped away while the Royals informed the Council of the latest developments and asked them to join the search.
***
Hessar Region, Golden Griffon academy, at the same time.
Phloria had regained her senses for a while, finding herself in one piece and wearing no restraints. Her wounds had been healed and she had been laid to rest in a comfortable bed.
“Where am I and what did you do to me?” She asked the moment she realized she wasn’t alone and that her equipment was gone.
The nightgown she wore was nothing more than a thin piece of fabric.
“This is the Throne Room of the Golden Griffon.” Thrud nodded her head at her guest in welcome. “You have my word that no harm was done to you while you were unconscious. We just took your equipment to study it.”
The Mad Queen was holding Reaver, Phloria’s estoc, from both ends while casting her best Forgemastering spells to study it. Her best Forgemasters were helping her and Linnea was among them.
“Your father is both a genius and a very meticulous man. Not only is your blade cloaked so well that it might take months to learn its secrets, but it has also been crafted so that the moment your imprint is lost it will self-destruct.”
It was one of the few properties that all weapons of Orion’s War series shared, but Phloria felt no need to let Thrud know. Yet.
‘I must find a way to get out of here. Otherwise the moment the Unwavering Loyalty array takes hold, I’ll spill every single secret anyone ever entrusted to me.’ Phloria looked around in a panic, but the room had no door or window.
She didn’t want to betray Faluel’s secrets like the fact that she possessed the Hands of Menadion. Nor did Phloria want to risk exposing Friya’s relationship with the Hydra and the Rezar.
Nalrond was an apprentice of Dawn, one of the few people who could teach Light Mastery to anyone. On top of that, his knowledge of the Fringes might have helped Thrud in her conquest plans, were she to access one.
Most of all, Phloria was terrified at the idea of sharing with Thrud about Solus’ existence and how much of Menadion’s legacy Lith had recovered in secret.
It would have made Lith a priority. Whoever possessed the tower possessed Solus. If Thrud killed or captured him, she would get her hands on a second tower and enslave Solus in a single swoop.
‘I’d rather die than put Lith’s life at risk.’ She thought.
“You can stop looking around. I assure you that there’s no way out nor anything you might use to kill yourself. I made sure of it.” Thrud took the words out of Phloria’s mind who then noticed how bare the room was.
There were two thrones, one holding Jormun’s statue, the bed she had been resting upon, and nothing else. The other people in the room wore armor but carried no weapons.
