The Cursed Tyrant and His Reluctant Queen

«Yes, your Majesty. His Majesty, the King, can protect you from the Church. In the current treaties, it's his right to keep gifted people on his side. Just like it happened in the pack, with the late King.»

Ignis will protect me from them. Even now that he's avoiding me, I'm sure he'll stop anyone trying to take me away.

«You said there are factions in the Church, so I wonder... Which of those does Cardinal Malva belong to?»

«Arabeus Malva?»

«Him.»

«He's a witch hunter,» Adelphium explains. «His primal joy is finding new mages and burning them to ashes at the first chance. He does offer collaboration to powerful individuals, but he doesn't happen to meet many. After all, his job isn't about recruitment but...»

«But?»

«He wants to erase magic from the world, and he thinks every form of power is evil if it doesn't cooperate with the Church and specifically himself. There are a few mages under his control, and he exploits their powers for his gain. Including raising his standing within the circle of cardinals.»

«You don't like him,» I realise. «Not a tiny bit.»

«How could I? He burns innocents at the stake without as much as an interrogation. He would have burned me as well if I wasn't lucky to meet my teacher.»

«You?»

«Yes, Veronica. I was going to be burnt without a question if the right person didn't cross our path by chance. He saw me and understood my power could change the Church.»

«Your power?» I remember to ask. I'm not supposed to know about it, right? Or maybe not.

It's difficult to keep track of when and where I discovered things, and even more what I told whom and how often I would pretend to be stupid with whom.

«I'm a mage. I thought it was obvious... I even told you your son wanted to use my powers and you didn't blink,» he points out.

Oh, right. He said it so normally that I didn't think it was new information. Adelphium's tone was just as relaxed and calm as if he knew she knew and didn't care talking about it.

«I am not alone, also. I reached as far as to become the High Priest, and I have friends in the inner circles who also have powers. There are some of us in the Church, and we all want to transform it into a better place. Somewhere everyone can ask to be admitted to, not only those with the right level of powers.»

I wish to believe in him. Really! But this is so sudden.

«My friend, the prophet, told me that the time is ripe. Soon, everything will change.»

«Your prophet friend? Can I meet them?»

«No.»

Why?

«They don't want to. Also, not many have seen them in person. They're a reserved person, and they don't tell their visions to just about anyone but only the right person. That's why you can rest assured that I know what I was told and the people opposing you weren't warned.»

«Why?» I wonder.

His prophet friend sent him here to help me give birth to Lars, knowing well about the barrier and the consequences that could have been if he wasn't here. Aida would have been discovered, while now they can only suspect without proof.

He also didn't say anything about the marriage of Juliet and Samuel Grif. He kept it secret, not that it matters. Especially now that they're dead.

He did tell me, in the beginning, about a celebration Ignis had to attend, but he also didn't seem too sad when we couldn't go even after promising to be there.

It's so easy to lower my guard next to him because even though his name and title are symbols of my enemy, Adelphium has never done anything to hurt me. He only tried to establish a contact, maybe to exploit it later for his own power struggles.

I'm not the one working hard to survive in this city, apparently. There are others with no less grave issues. The Church isn't immune to greed and all the other human sins.

«What did your prophet tell you today?» I ask. «That the Queen gave a name to the Prince and it's time to hear it?»

«They don't call you Queen, for some reason. I don't know everything about their prophecies, and it's difficult to interpret some of their words.»

«What do they call me, then?»

«Rather than names, they use titles. The most frequent is Highness.»

«I see.»

How odd. His friend must be an interesting person. One worth travelling far just to talk with. I'd like to know what they actually think of me and, most importantly, what their intentions are.

«What else do they say?» I ask.

«I'm not sure what I can tell and what I can't. But you can meet them, one day. When you come to the Temple, I can guide you to my friend.»

«It would be nice,» I say. «Their words influence my life, so it'd be good to know something more about the prophet influencing my life with their actions.»

«When you visit the Temple, I'll bring you to them.»

So, it won't happen anytime soon. I won't visit the Temple in the next few weeks except for Lars's welcoming ceremony. But I won't be allowed to wander around. Visiting a mysterious and suspicious person during my son's special day doesn't seem feasible; not for the Queen.

«What happens next?» I continued with the questions. I'm curious to hear what else this prophet friend has seen.

«I don't know, Veronica. But I don't think the Church will make it in time. They won't be able to reach a decision before the war breaks out. After that, everything they say won't be relevant anymore. Alba will have other problems to solve.»

«Other problems? Is this another prophecy?»

«No, just my private thoughts. I can see what's going on, and we'll have to work together if we want to overcome it. There are winds of war, and everyone knows that diplomacy alone won't be able to solve it.»

«The King has signed treaties, and most neighbouring countries withdrew their threats,» I point out. «There's still hope to solve it peacefully.»

«There is. But greed is more powerful than caution.»

«I see. So, you believe the Church won't come after my child and me because there will be worse things happening? It's not very heartening, to be honest.»

«My purpose is not to comfort you. It's a warning. Don't overlook other relevant aspects just because you're concerned about what the Cardinals will do.»

«I understand but... Why should I believe you? You are one of the Cardinals, aren't you? You also could be planning to take my son away.»

«I am not.»

«But I'm a mother. You should understand why I don't believe you so easily. Just saying that my son should stay here doesn't mean you'll follow your words and help me. It doesn't mean this is not all a trap to make me lower my guard. Adelphium, I can't trust you because you're dangerous for me and for Lars. I hope you understand.»

«I do. And I have no intention of hurting you. Not you nor any of the people you care about. I'm here to help, and I will help in the future as well.»

«Will you?»

«I will be your spy in the Church. Weren't you hoping to build a network? Here I am, ready to be exploited.»

«Why?»

«Because it's the right thing to do.»

«Who told you that? Your prophet?»

«Yes, that's right. This is the best way to reach our purpose. We want to reduce corruption in the Church. We want to erase the evil growing inside it. We are not all as you think we are, Veronica. Most of us are just people.»

Just people. How odd to hear a High Priest say this.

«Who do you mean by we? You and your friend?»

«There are others, just not that loud. Unfortunately, whoever has the option of helping has sided with the other faction. Money, power, acknowledgement is difficult to renounce. As for us, we know it's a hard choice. If we fail, we will be wiped out. We will lose our place, our name, and our reputation. Some of us will lose our lives.»

«Then, why are you doing it? Just to be on the right side?»

«We're doing it for our soul, Veronica. Even if we fail, that won't be taken away from us.»

I wish I could believe him. Yet, this could only be a trap. He has a prophet on his side. He will know whether I believe him or not. He knows what will happen and will use it to his advantage to make me trust him and lower my guard.

«You will help me,» I repeat his words, trying to find out the traps in his offers. What he wants back from me. There must be something.

«Yes, but not publicly. To be a good spy, I need to look above all parts. I can't say anything too much until the time is ripe. I'll pretend to be using my link to the Queen for the Church while reality will be the opposite.»

Oh, I see. How convenient. Yet, even to pretend to be my spy he will need to give me real information.

I can use this chance. I just need to be extra careful never to believe.

Until it's done, he will be my enemy. After all, mages have the right to live in Alba side to side with humans.... Then, if he proves his worth and helps me achieve this, I will apologise for not believing from the start.