17. ~Orpheus~

17

~Orpheus~

We rematerialized in one of the spare rooms that Abigail had deposited my father in earlier. I hadn’t known which one he was in, because I’d lost consciousness on the flight out of the Dark Fae Realm, Alena’s magic having taken its toll. But I’d used my ability to sense his magic to locate him once I’d woken up. He’d been out cold when I’d looked in on him before heading down to talk to the boys.

Or so it had seemed.

As we pulled apart, I shook my head at him. “That was a ruse. You’re not weakened.”

“Not anymore, no. How did you know?”

I rolled my eyes. “Because I know you. But why did you resist when I said you needed to come up here and rest?”

“To make it believable. It’s well known that I don’t take orders well, and that I abhor showing weakness. If I’d instantly given in, it would have raised suspicion.”

“All right, so why the subterfuge in front of Xavier?”

“It cannot get out that Constantine took your blood. No one can know.”

“What? How do you—”

“It is needed to fill the Orb of Vorlav. A being of immense power who straddles the Dark and the Light, and that is most definitely you, my son. It’s a rare occurrence to find such a being. I had to allow it in a trade for your life. He can’t kill you now, which gives us an advantage.”

“Tell me what the Orb actually does. No more secrecy—at least not from me.”

He stared at me for a moment, the weight of what he was about to say clearly bearing down on him heavily.

“When the Orb is activated, it has the means to grant the one possessing it dominion over all magic-wielders.”

I choked. “Excuse me?”

“Complete control, Orpheus.”

“Turning us into a bunch of automatons, you mean?”

“In essence, yes. The Orb of Vorlav was created as a failsafe by the Celestials should things grow out of control and bring the supernatural world to the verge of Armageddon.”

“He’d rule all, possess absolute power.”

“He’d have an army unlike any other to ensure it, yes, to dominate the remainder of the supernatural world and all other species.”

“He’d be completely untouchable. Unstoppable.”

“No one being should possess that much power. There always needs to be a cap.”

“So, my blood can activate the Orb to cause all of this?”

“It is one vital ingredient. There are three. The second is celestial magic, which Alena Rose will provide. And the third…” He grimaced. “The third is phoenix fire, son.”

I choked. “Talon.”

He nodded. “The night Cora and Hugo Creed were killed, Constantine wasn’t just disposing of an enemy, he was trying to harness phoenix fire and to trap it for use with the Orb. Of course, he failed, and they perished that night. It had been his backup plan, the first had been to have a phoenix wield their fire for him, but Cora refused, and he tried to go another way.”

“How long have you known this?”

“My spy network acquired the information a few days following their murder.”

“You should’ve told me this. Talon should’ve been informed.”

“How would knowing that have alleviated even an ounce of his pain?”

“He had the right to know. The truth about their murders is—”

“It’s something that would have haunted him his entire life. He’d then be aware that he was Constantine’s remaining target, that he would one day be coming for him. He would’ve been looking over his shoulder all this time, unable to live his life as he has been. It would have burdened him at a time when he was already downtrodden and steeped in great grief.”

“Father,” I groused.

“Back to the situation at hand. The reason no one can know that Constantine has obtained your blood in connection to the Orb is because there is a way to render that blood useless.” He tugged at a couple of strands of his shock of black, spiky hair. “To end your life. You see, it’s not the blood alone, it’s the magical remnants infused in it. A magic-wielder dies, all their magic dies with them.”

“ Exemplar doesn’t kill.”

“Wrong. Abigail and Elliot don’t. But there are others who don’t possess the same moral code, and only follow that Law out of deference and duty to them. But something like this, an extinction level event, could certainly stand to transcend that. Even outside of Exemplar , there are many powerful detractors already who wouldn’t hesitate to take a life, to do what they would deem necessary in order to protect themselves. If word got out, they would all come for you, Orpheus.” He ground his jaw. “And I will not allow that to befall my son.”

“If it’s my life for—”

“No!” he yelled vehemently. “Do not even propose that in-the-name-of-the-greater-good sentiment. It’s not an option and it never will be.”

“I can’t in good conscience keep this a secret and not do whatever is needed to end this, Father.”

“We will do whatever is needed. Just not that. There are others ways to win out here, to prevent this from coming to pass, and to defeat that monstrosity of a being. And we have some time. For instance, the blood he stole from you will need time to bond with the Orb.”

“And we need to keep Talon from him.”

“Not just that, we need to ensure his rage is kept in check. A phoenix enraged creates extreme raw power when they unleash in that state, which is what Constantine will be desiring in order to enact the spell.”

“A rage he sparked in Talon when he murdered his parents.”

“Yes, he’s been manipulating the four of you since the beginning of the Cataclysm.”

“What about Xavier?”

“He wants him at his side as his heir, Xavier being the only other vampire-sorcerer hybrid being currently. He feels a twisted kindship with him. It was why he made him. He wanted another of his kind. But being a hybrid, Xavier won’t be controlled if the spell succeeds because of his vampiric half. So, I suspect that Constantine will use the sire connection to enforce that.”

“Why take his magic at all? Just to pull Alena to him?”

“It would seem so, yes. And it’s another way of him demonstrating his control over others, and reveling in it too. It brings him great pleasure.”

“And what of Alena? Constantine has to be denied celestial magic. I do have an idea of how to reach her mind based off something Xavier said to me.”

“When I was held captive, I encountered her.”

“You did?” I asked, stepping forward, my urgency getting the best of me. “What happened?”

“Things you don’t wish to hear about, things he did to damage her and the three of you. Suffice to say, she was bewitched by him. While she was immersed in that, I distracted and provoked her and managed to spell her.”

“Spell her?”

“It was similar to that which I just used on you. Except for the fact that it can draw black magic out of someone and into another from across a vast distance. You do not need to be within range, nor making physical contact with the subject. Alas, when I performed the spell, I was exceedingly weak, so it may require assistance to properly take hold. A spark, if you will. So far, I haven’t felt any of the infection being drawn into me, so either it is taking time because of the sheer level of said infection, or it did not take hold properly because my strength was compromised.”

“Father, I saw how much black magic she’d been infected with. It was all fucking over her.”

“I am well aware.”

“This could kill you.”

“It won’t. I’ve already performed the calculations. What it will do, however, is make me weak. Permanently. No being can wield that much black magic, nor hold it within themselves without it compromising their physical faculties.” As I started shaking my head, he laid his hand on my shoulder. “This is me doing what needs to be done, Orpheus. It is my duty, not just to our people, but to you . Constantine Vale is a threat that was meant to be dealt with by me, Elliot, Abigail and the like, not by our heirs. This is my way of rectifying that. If he doesn’t have control of Alena any longer, he has no celestial magic to perform the spell.” He sighed and scrubbed his hand over his face. “To permanently end the threat that he poses, though, he must die. Do you believe in that being his fate?”

“Yes.”

“You’re certain? This path will be fraught with resistance.”

“I’ve been advocating for this path for a long time. Longer than you realize. Not just with recent events, nor what has just come to light about the Orb.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “What are you referring to?”

“I believe you may already know, given that you’ve had your spy watching me since the moment I stepped foot inside Electi Academy.”

The corner of his mouth turned up. “Since before actually.”

“So you know about Obsidian?”

“I know you formed a clandestine outfit to ensure students could express their abilities and flex their magical muscle. Edgar and I both suspected there was more to it than what it appeared on the surface, however we couldn’t confirm what that might be, due to your carefully crafted illusions. Subjects for you to rule over, perhaps?”

“An army.”

His slight smile widened. “Well, then, that’s certainly something.”

“They’re primed. They just require instruction now. With me being benched, then coming here, I’ve lost vital time. I need to get back.”

“Just like I need to return to the DFR. Can you call your entire army to prepare them for battle while being there under the noses of the faculty? They won’t like it, as I’m sure you already determined, thus keeping your activities secret.”

“I can using some high-level illusions.”

Pride shone in his eyes. “Let Edgar assist you. He’ll keep it quiet at my word.”

“First, I need to see to Alena, to spark the spell you infused her with, to begin the fight to free her from that madman. The idea of her being bound to him, especially in the ways it’s become clear she is… I can’t fucking stomach it. I’ve been trying to push it off, to focus on the war, on Xavier, on Talon, and on you, but it keeps rising up and threatening to undo me.”

“You love her.”

“I… can we not. Not now, Father.”

“Hmm. Your usual answer. I see you haven’t allowed things to progress there.”

“How can I with everything going on?”

“This isn’t about what’s happening around us. This is about you knowing if you admit it, you won’t be able to hold back in any way when it comes to her. Your passion and capability for love and adoration for another is such that you will be all in and unable to ever let go. And you fear that vulnerable part of you. At some point, though, you need to take a leap of faith.” He smiled sadly. “Otherwise you will miss out on something truly special, a love that can alter your life in the most amazing ways.”

“Wow, Father. This is… surprisingly heartfelt and romantic. Is this how you felt about Mom before things turned sour?”

“Her?” He scoffed. “No. Things turned sour fast there when I recognized her deception, her marrying me for proximity to power.”

“Why have you never mentioned this before?”

“Because you are her son. But you’re ready now. To know the truth—all the truths. It’s not her I’m talking about, but someone else whom you’re already familiar with.”

“Someone… current?”

“Yes.”

“Please don’t tell me it really is Abigail Rose.”

He screwed up his face. “Certainly not. It’s actually—”

The door flew open and Talon burst on in. “When I touched down, X told me that you have a way to bring Alena back to us,” he said, completely cutting through our conversation and bursting into my father’s room like it was fine to do so.

His usual blunt and brazen way of doing things—especially when he was worked up.

“Talon,” I admonished.

“Right, sorry.” He looked at my father. “Nice to see you again, Saryan. My bad for barging in, this is just too important to wait.” He came to me and laid his hand on my shoulder. “So? What’s the deal?”

I slid my hand to his cheek, stroking softly. “First, I need you to settle, or it won’t work.”

“Why? What is it? Does it involve me using the full force of my phoenix fire to fry that motherfucker, Constantine?”

My father and I exchanged a brief look.

Oh no. It was worrying that his mind had gone there. He was so on edge, his rage so close to breaching the surface.

This potential solution I had was needed more than ever.

And it needed to show some signs of success.

If it did, it would be enough to calm him and to hold that dangerous rage off, to deny Constantine the thing he wanted.

“No. It involves your mind.”

“My mind? Like a spell?”

“We’re going to access her subconscious.”

“To reconnect with her that way… yeah, that’s a good idea.”

“It certainly is,” my father agreed. “Although, Constantine has a wall erected around her mind, so you’ll need to channel some of that black magic into yourself in order to breach it. Furthermore, I noticed your mark on her. You’ve protected her against mind meddling by Dark Fae, so you can’t perform the spell.”

“I won’t. I’ll feed Xavier enough of my blood to enable him to do so. I’ll be there to hold off the black magic from them and to penetrate his ward around her mind, without actually breaching her mind myself.”

“No, no, Ore. You can’t. After everything—”

I pressed my finger to his lips. “I only need a little to break in, less than I used last time. And I won’t be going alone into a dangerous space this time. You and Xavier will be coming with me.”

His eyes lit up and he nodded against my hand.

That’s right, baby bird, all hands on deck this time.

I just hoped like Hades that it would make a dent in her psyche.

I really needed to know she was still in there, that she was still with us on some level.

This separation from her… it was growing unbearable with every passing day.