The man trembled as he knelt before the throne, a slick sheen of sweat visible on his forehead. He was terrified, as he should be. He knew what happened to other messengers who brought unfavorable news.

  “You. You had a message for me?” said Prince Veric of Vallenar, in a commanding voice. The man glanced up, then back to the ground, trembling even harder. He started to say something, but stopped, his voice tapering into silence.

  “Speak, man!” shouted Verale of Vallenar, High Inquisitor of the Kingdom, from Veric’s right, pounding his staff against the stone floor of the throne room.

  “It- It is another missal from the United Allies, your grace. They beg you to join them in searching for the prophetic hero and to- to- halt your…foolishness.”

  The sound of a blade unsheathing to Veric’s left rasped off the walls and set the man trembling even harder. “How dare you speak to the Prince of Vallenar that way! I should spill your blood across the floor right now!” cried Vincent of Vallenar, Commander General of the King’s Armies, the Prince’s left hand.

  “Peace, brother. It was merely a message,” said Veric, holding out a hand to calm his younger brother.

  “Yes, Vincent, do shut your mouth. If you leave it open too long, the last of your wits may fly out!” sneered Verale.

  “Strong talk from the man who has never seen a battle in his life!” Vincent shouted right back, his face turning red.

  “I deal with the aftermath of battles, as you should know, you oaf. Don’t presume might to be the only form of strength,” returned Verale.

  “Silence!” commanded Veric. The quarreling brothers stilled, kept in check by their brother. “Leave us,” he told the courier.

  The man scurried out of the room, all too happy to leave the volatile brothers alone.

  “Fools! You must not show division in court. Even a simple courier can stir up far too much dissent just by retelling what just happened. In court, we must be of one mind.”

  He paused for a beat, making eye contact with both of his brothers in turn.

  “Now. Verale. I heard you had a Dark Rune user in your dungeon?”

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  “Yes, brother, I do. It wasn’t as if he was being too stealthy about it, either,” answered Verale. “He’s to be executed in a half hour hence. In fact, my men should be retrieving him now.”

  “Well, I suppose I’ll have to make an appearance at that.”

  “Ah, Veric,” said Vincent. “I’ve got a prisoner we believe to be related to the Allies. We can interrogate him after the execution.”

  “Very well,” said Veric. “Tell Valan to prepare the instruments.”

  “He will be excited, brother.”

  “I have to be ready in my robes in twenty minutes and I will return from the execution in no less than two hours. Be ready then.”

  Veric turned to sweep out of the room, then stopped. “Before you leave, both of you…”

  “Has anyone seen Vena?”

  Vena eyed Shawn from across the fire. The guy really was progressing on his own pretty well. He seemed to understand how to manipulate his core and energies, and that strange absorption rune was working wonders for his advancement, clearly.

  Although at the time, Vena had been terrified he was going to split from the inside out. It seemed that his mastery over runes was growing at a sharp rate as well. He had already learned to cast in conjunction, a theory only realized by certain Masters, but his power overall was only Proficiary.

  But the rune that had appeared out of nowhere and fallen into his hand? That was Adept power. What was this guy doing?

  The Masters will know how to teach him. All I have to do is get him there, Vena thought. Although, I could give him just a little guidance…

  “So, uh, Shawn, what’d you get there?” Vena said. Inwardly, she winced. So much for acting casual.

  “Yeah, I got a new one. Shadow,” he responded. “And I think I’m starting to understand how these work.”

  “Oh really?”

  “Yeah. So I got this one-” he indicated the fire rune- “when I fought this fire pig thing in the forest. And I got these-” he pointed at the runes of energy and earth- “when I, uh, consumed this…mage? Back in Vallen, during the festival.” Seeing Vena’s face, he hurried on. “But it was an accident! I swear! I would never…eat someone without their consent. Wait, shit.”

  Vena laughed. His face had gotten red, and he was running his hand through his hair awkwardly. “It’s okay. I’m sure he deserved it. Although that Hunger rune is a bit of an…oddity. I’ve never heard of a mage receiving one before.”

  “Oh, really? Am I…special?”

  Vena laughed harder, doubling over as she did. “I’m sure you are. Now I’m going to sleep. Back to the road tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Good night.”

  Vena turned away, tucking into her bedroll. She ordered her breathing, by all appearances slowly easing into sleep.

  But inside, she couldn’t get Shawn’s embarrassed face out of her thoughts.

  Damn it.