Aeran stumbled across the dim room, lit only by two candles on the other side. His head was dazed and slammed his leg into the large table at the center of the room. Cursing, he leaned over and searched with his hands for what he was looking for. After grasping sheets of paper, books, and quills, he finally found what he was looking for: a small, wooden box edged with gold. Breathing quickly, he opened his and dropped its contents on the table. A small vial, filled with red liquid, with a single wing engraved in the glass. He looked at it eagerly, uncorked the lid, and tipped a drop of it onto his finger. He licked it off with his tongue and the dizziness in his head left almost immediately. His body on fire, like he could tear down the very walls of the palace around him. He closed his eyes and savored the feeling of invincibility.

After a few minutes, he turned around and looked at the women who was lying in his bed. He barely remembered what had happened and he couldn't recall for his life what her name was. But that just made him smirk. By the morning she would be gone and he would forget her completely. Running his fingers through his thick brown hair, he moved to his closet and dressed. As he moved to the table to find some food from last night, he heard a knock on his door. Glancing at the woman to make sure she hadn't moved, he quickly went to the door and cracked it open. One of the palace guards stood at attention outside.

"Lord Aeran, King Lian requests your audience in the Library," the guard said as if memorized.

"At this ungodly hour?" Aeran frowned.

"Immediately," the guard replied, "I am to escort you to him immediately."

Escort me? Aeran fumed as he followed the guard down the silent halls of the palace. At this hour, everyone else was asleep while he went to speak to his brother, the king. What is so important that it could not wait for the morning? What is so important that I have to speak to him at all?

Aeran had always felt a grudge to his older brother. While he had always been the strongest, the most determined of the two, there his portly brother sat on the throne, his innocent little mind making the decisions for all of Deltora.

As they walked down the hallways, they passed the Great Hall, where stood the mightiest statue in the Palace, the likeness of the great King Lief, the one who saved Deltora three hundred years ago from the clutches of the Shadow Lord. Aeran always felt a mixture of emotions when he stood in the presence of the statue: pride at being descended from such a legendary hero, but also angry, that his brother was the one that represented the bloodline and not him. If he were the king, people across Deltora would know no fear, would have no troubles in the world. He would honor the name of the great King Lief, as it should be.

They entered the Library of the Palace. The enormous bookshelves stretched across all the walls, filled to the brim as they always were. King Lian was an avid reader, something that Aeran saw as a sign of weakness. Reading was a fiction and he was only comfortable in reality. And as he walked past the bookshelves, there he was at a table piled high with books. Lian, with his short black hair and trimmed beard, hunched over a large brown book. He was shorter than Aeran and much thinner, possessing none of the muscles that Aeran always boasted. As he approached the table, Lian raised his gaze from the book. His face was serious.

"Well Aeran, having a good night?" he asked in mock sincerity.

"Until now, brother. What is the meaning of this? Surely you did not summon me for idle conversation."

Lian rubbed his hands, as was his habit when contemplating what to say. His eyes looked slightly saddened.

"The servants have brought something to my attention. Something regarding your behavior of recently." Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out a small glass vial, with a single wing engraved in the glass. Aeran's heart skipped a beat and his hands clenched involuntarily. He had been sure that he'd disposed of all his supply.

"Look familiar?" Lian said in a low voice, "The servants found it a few days ago in your chambers, under your bed. They had no idea what it was and just now showed it to me, wondering if it was something important."

Lian's eyes glared accusingly at Aeran, thought Aeran could hardly say that it was threatening. Instead Aeran's gaze remained fixed on the vial, wondering how he could have misplaced it. He had always taken such care...

"Well?" Lian demanded, his voice rising, "What is the meaning of this?"

Aeran shifted his gaze to his brother, and shrugged, "Comfort."

Lian slammed his fist on the table, knocking down a few of the books he had piled beside him. His face was in a hard frown and his body tense.

"This is Dragonblood, Aeran! It is illegal! Do you know what would happen if the people learned that one of the royal family was addicted to it? Faith would be lost in us as rulers and it would be one step closer to repeating the events of the past."

"What of it them?" Aeran demanded, his voice filled with anger, "If you don't want it known, then don't tell! No one will ever know if it is hidden."

Lian shook his head, leaning back in the chair. He was rubbing his hands again and had broken his gaze with Aeran.

"I'm afraid it is not that simple," he said, a hint of sorrow in his voice, "I know you Aeran. I know how you act. How once you find something, you hardly ever let it go."

Aeran's frown deepened. He did not like where this conversation was going.

Lian stood up suddenly, looking Aeran directly in eyes.

"Aeran, I hereby banish you from the city of Del. The guards will escort you from the palace." he said with utmost seriousness, nodding at the guards that stood at the far end of the library.

Aeran's jaw dropped. His anger grew tenfold at that moment and if the guards had not grabbed him at that moment, he would have rushed and attacked his brother.

"How can you do this!" he shouted as the guards dragged him away from the king, "I am a descendant of King Lief! It is I who should be king!"

"I'm sorry brother," he heard Lian from the table.

"You are no brother of mine! You are a false king! I will sit on the throne of Deltora! I will bring back the honor that you have lost! Mark my words, Lian! My day will come!" he shouted as the guards pulled him from the Library.