Damion Forthin's Arc

Chapter 3 of 3

The throne room doors stood open ahead. Vladimir walked toward them without a word. Then quick footsteps sounded behind Damion. His youngest sister, Damina, caught them at the threshold. She held a leather folder against her chest. Her blue eyes stayed fixed on their father, not on Damion. Damion knew that look. She had decided something and could not take it back. "Wait," Damina said. Her voice stayed flat, but her hands shook. "You should see this first." She opened the folder. Inside lay charred practice slates, a scorched glove, and pages of Damion's own handwriting. Notes on the fire magic. Dates. Months of them. "He hasn't tried twice," she said. "He's been practicing in secret since spring. I found where he hides it." Damion felt the tattoo over his heart go tight. His sister had opened him like a book in front of the king. He said nothing. There was nothing to deny. Diana stepped from behind Vladimir. Their mother had been standing at his right, silent until now. She took one page from the folder and read it. Her soft face did not move, but her hand curled around the paper. "Vladimir," she said quietly. "The last one who learned this burned in that room. He was a grown man. Damion is your son." She did not raise her voice. She rarely did. "You can end this now." Damina looked between them. "I thought you would stop him," she said to their father. "That was the point." Her jaw set. She had expected a summons and a punishment, the same as before. She had not expected the king to go still. Vladimir did not shout. He looked at the burned slates for a long moment. Then he looked at Damion. "You will not stop," he said. It was not a question. "No," Damion said. "I won't." "Yelling has not worked. Punishment has not worked." Vladimir spoke as if reading a ledger. "So I offer terms instead." Diana's head turned sharply toward her husband. This was not the man she had learned to manage. "You may learn the magic," Vladimir said. "Under my instruction. In the room where it kills, where I can watch you. Nowhere else. You touch it once outside my sight, and I take the sword and burn every page." The throne behind him caught the torchlight, red stone and gold. Damion understood the trade. His father was not surrendering. He was pulling the fire close, where he controlled it. "Why?" Damion asked. "Because you would die hiding it," Vladimir said. "I prefer you useful." Damion looked at Damina. She had wanted him caged. Instead she had handed him the door. "I accept," he said. Damina closed the empty folder. Diana set the page down like something too heavy to hold. Vladimir turned and walked into the throne room. "Then we begin," he said. "Bring the sword." Then Vladimir paused. “Oh, and one more thing.” He looked Damion in the eye. “You will also find Astra and bring her and her werewolf companion back to face trial for her betrayal.”