Chapter Twenty-Six

In the Snake's Burrow

Will, sitting on the edge of her bed, room lit by a ball of pink magic, was frantically trying to calm the crying kid in her lap. The neighboring rooms held her fellow Guardians and, eventually, one of them would notice someone hysterically sobbing.

"Achilles," she tried, for the dozenth time, to grab his attention. But he was curled in her lap; snotty, tear-streaked face rubbing into her nightshirt. "Kid, I need you to calm down. Come on, just… please!" she pleaded in a heated whisper.

"I messed everything up," he sobbed. Little frog-like hands gripping her shirt so tightly that his claws ripped the fabric across her chest. "And now master won't wake up!"

Will felt her heart twist at the reminder of Phobos' condition.

Taking a deep breath, she cleared her head as best she could. Adjusting the kid so his head was against her shoulder, she wrapped her arms tight around him. Calling on the air element, an air bubble appeared around them, sealing in all sound.

Xin Jing was edging her thoughts, watching the events unfold with budding concern.

While she assured the nymph he would be fine, she didn't really know this kid. She didn't know how to comfort him and knew nothing about his situation. So she did the only thing left and just rocked him as he cried. Rocked him while he apologized over and over. Until finally he was so exhausted she could lull him to sleep with a bit of magic.

The bubble popped as she released her on hold the Heart and it left her staring at the sleeping boy, still sniffling in his sleep.

Will had an idea.

A stupid idea.

But she didn't want to go to Elyon until she knew exactly what she was dealing with.

Standing, Will transformed into Guardian form. Holding Achilles carefully against her, she tapped into the powers of the Heart to locate a certain person in the city of Meridian. Then teleported away.


Will didn't have to go far, as Elyon was paying for lodging for the small family, so the inn was in the richer section of the city, near the castle. It was on a well-lit street, with a few well-armed guards on horseback trotting by with lanterns of their own. The entrance was locked, with a doorman posted next to it. It was simple, compelling the singular man to unlock the door and open it for seemingly no reason. Invisible, Will slipped in, grateful, as compelling more than one person was a skill Irma was proficient at, and now was not the time to practice.

Seeing how her borrowed scrying ability also wasn't at Irma's level, Will couldn't narrow down their location to other than the area of the inn. Will, thinking for a moment, tapped into the fire element and looked at the collection of heat blobs scattered through the building. Seeing one that had three small balls of heat and two larger ones, she went to the second floor.

Hoping this wasn't the dumbest idea she ever had, and that she was reading things right earlier at dinner, she knocked on the wooden door.

Miranda, dressed in a night robe and carrying a small candle, opened the door. At first she was confused, seeing nothing before her, until she sniffed the air and let out a low, dangerous hiss, "Guardian."

Cedric, walking up behind her, also dressed in a sleep robe, stopped, eyes flashing perfectly to her spot.

"Can I come in?" she asked, voice a whisper, still invisible. Things could go south fast, as these two weren't high on the list of people who liked her enough to help her out with her latest magical problem.

"Why," Miranda started, outwardly annoyed, but Cedric cut her off.

"Let her in," he agreed, disdain thick in his voice. Then he sighed out, voice lower, "I knew coming here was a mistake."

Miranda slowly stepped aside and let her pass, closing the door once Will became visible. The spider frowned, seeing the boy in her arms, raising the candle to get a better look as she sniffed him. She recoiled, face twisted, as she hissed again.

"Moon opal frog," she spat, disgusted. "Get that thing away from my children."

Cedric was lighting more candles, but stopped at Miranda's statement. He approached Will, looking down at the sleeping child, now frowning, fine lines of his face deepened by the flickering candlelight around them.

"Why bring this thing to us?" Cedric question, looking over both of them. "It's far too dangerous to let roam free, let alone leave it alive."

Worried she made a mistake, she hugged Achilles closer as she answered, "I need to know what he is. I need-"

Miranda cut her off, sitting on the arm of one couch in the still fairly dark common room. Will could make out rich wood and dark, warm colors. She was sure this room was as lavish as any in the castle. "It's a moon opal frog," she stated. "That's all enough of a reason to kill it."

Will felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on ends. "He's just a kid," she argued, worry growing in her gut at their open dislike of what she could only view as a child.

"No," Cedric said, waving at a wooden chair for her to sit. Slowly, she sat, adjusting her wings and moving Achilles to rest against her shoulder. Cedric sat on the couch next to his wife. "It's not a child. It's probably newly contracted, and hasn't figured out how to control its appearance. Or the magic it feeds on influences its shape."

"Contracted?" she asked, feeling a flicker of hope she was right to come to him. He could outmaneuver Phobos, one of the most well-versed mages in the universe. That had to mean his bookstore wasn't just for show.

Cedric nodded. "It's someone's animal familiar," he clarified with less heat in his voice, looking slightly curious at the boy in her arms.

Miranda was scowling. "Who would be foolish enough to contract a moon opal frog? I never heard of a mage surviving one long enough for the frog to manifest like this."

Cedric let out a small, amused chuckle as he guessed, "Phobos?"

Will bit her lip and nodded.

The couple exchanged a look, having some silent conversation before Miranda tilted her head, some of her hostility leaving her.

"How?" Cedric questioned, his attention back to Will, now sounding intrigued. "Elyon's magic should suppress his completely. To manage this is… impressive."

She wasn't here to restart the Phobos fan-club… Hmm, considering the past few weeks, she probably could be considered an honorary member, though…

"Is Achilles really that dangerous?" she pressed, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his chest against her. "He seems like such a sweet kid," Will ended weakly, hating the idea she might have to lock the kid up with Phobos by daybreak.

"You've worked closely with the Light of Earth's familiar for years?" question Cedric as he leaned back against the couch.

"Yeah, Napoleon."

"And he's fiercely loyal to her, correct?"

"...Yeah," she confirmed, not sure what he was getting at with this topic.

"Familiars are granted magic and intelligence during a contract. Both based on their master and what they agree to share. So-"

Miranda stood, pointing at the frog child, and quickly said, "So you have a blindly loyal magical tool that has learned the meaning of morality from Phobos. Again, get that thing away from my children," she warned, agitated again as her hair stood on ends.

Cedric stood and placed a hand on her shoulder, calming her. He went and lit a few more candles, so the room was properly bright, and stood over Will.

"Can you wake it?" he inquired, eyes curious as he peered down at the duo.

Will nodded and placed a hand on Achilles' shoulder. She used a bit of quintessence as a gentle shock, and his magic sparked in response. His eyes slowly peeled opened, blinking up at her before spotting Cedric's tall form looming over them.

He croaked, scared, moving to scramble away from the snake, only she hugged him, moving to wrap her wings around them both.

"Hey, buddy, it's okay. I promise," she soothed, rubbing his back in wide circles. "These people know… know Phobos." She tried to swallow the heavy lump in her throat. "You're his familiar, huh?"

Achilles slowly nodded, looking from her to Cedric then Miranda. "Yes," he confirmed, voice trembling.

Cedric folded his arms, head tipping to the side. "How long have you been in his service?"

Achilles looked down, fist gripping the fabric of her bodysuit. This time, his little claws didn't tear the thicker material.

"Achilles," Will urged, trying to remain calm. "It's really important that you answer. Do you think you can do that? I can't help Phobos if I don't know what's going on."

The frog looked up at Cedric and answered, "A week."

Cedric nodded. "You are still a fledgling, yet you seem advanced for such a short time. How is your master feeding you enough magic for this level of rapid growth?"

Achilles was shaking now, eyes watering, voice quivering. "I'm not supposed to tell. I'm not supposed to be seen."

"Well, we see you," Miranda countered, harsh, but changed her tone at the firm glance Cedric sent her. "But you can help your master far more by telling us how you came to be. If anyone can help him out of his latest mess, it's the Guardian at your back, moon frog."

Achilles looked up at Will, eyes wide and wet with unshed tears, and she tried to give him a comforting smile, but she just felt like she cringed from the forced effort.

"Now, again, how is he feeding you magic?" Cedric repeated.

Achilles looked down and said, "I feed off Queen Elyon's magic."

They all froze in mutual shock before Cedric let out a bark laugh. "You are using magic from the Heart of Meridian?"

The frog nodded.

Cedric laughed again, amused. "And Elyon does not know she's fueling your accelerated growth?"

He shook his head.

"And… have you developed any of her powers? Since they have left you unchecked?"

He nodded.

"Show me," Cedric eagerly ordered.

Will lowered her wings and Achilles held up his hand, a ray of yellow light filling the room.

"Does your master know of your powers from Elyon?"

"No… he doesn't like Queen Elyon, and I did not want to… make him mad I am like her now."

"Fascinating," Cedric drawled. "Even if its be feeding off of the magic of the Heart, it shouldn't be granted powers from it, unless Phobos truly has a legitimate claim on the Heart."

Will frowned at that statement. "What do you mean?"

"Elyon didn't contract the frog, so she can't influence its magic, only Phobos. If the frog is collecting powers from the Heart, that means Phobos has access to those same powers. But there is something blocking his claim."

"Elyon?" Will ventured a guess. "When she was captured by Nerissa, he had a rightful claim back then. Maybe Elyon just gets, like, first dibs?"

Cedric shook his head. "If Phobos had a rightful claim, it would have existed before her birth," he stressed. "The very fact she was born means something interfered with his birthright to bring her soul into creation."

Will looked down for a second, having an idea of what it might be. "Like… dying?"

Cedric paled, his amusement finally leaving him. "You know of that?"

Will nodded. "Yeah, he told us a little yesterday. Not much."

There was a heaviness in the air as Cedric turned and walked away, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. Looking back at her, he said, "I may appear older, but we are near the same age. And we grew up… together. Or as together a prince and a lesser noble could." He closed his eyes. "Weira did him no favor, doing what she did. What emerged from that cursed tomb was shriveled and rotting. It took days before he could speak. Weeks before he could see. Months before he could walk again." He opened his eyes.

"The pain was constant. Unmerciful. It was part of the reason I followed him so faithfully at the start. Seeing what the queen did, how she hid it, how she had him suffer for her own sake, made me want to end the old ways more than anything else."

Will took a deep breath. "Taranee thinks dark magic was involved. If that's true, that would block his claim on Meridian's Heart, right?"

He hummed in thought. "Yes, that would make sense." He gave a hollow laugh. "To think, he really was born a beacon of change, but was twisted into what he is now by the very kingdom he was meant to serve." He placed a hand on his chin, looking down at Achilles. "And now he's unknowingly bypassed that block with this frog. Even if Elyon cuts her magic from Phobos now, this frog is a connection to his birthright."

Once someone was touched by magic, they always had a connection to it. If Achilles was accessing the Heart through Phobos' bonds, and established a connection to it, could Elyon truly not cut his access?

"Touching as all that is, dear, I think we need to send our guest on their way," Miranda stated, looking anxiously at Achilles. The new information, that Achilles was a vessel for Phobos' access to the vast magic of the Heart of Meridian, was definitely not the best news of the day.

Cedric, who was enjoying the revelation more than he should, cleared his throat and nodded. "You are right." He looked at Will for a moment. "I won't pretend to understand how you and him found… middle ground. But if you came here wondering if this frog is a sign he will turn on you, I cannot answer that. Phobos has always needed to care only for himself. Even if he has learned to care for another, his instinct will always be to plan for the absolute worst, because it always comes to pass."

Achilles, surprisingly, spoke up, voice stronger than before. "My master would never hurt Lady Wilhelmina," he argued, upset at the implication. "He just wants to be free!"

Cedric nodded. "And I am sure that is exactly how he has reasoned this all to himself." He hummed and asked. "Tell me, you say it has only been a week. The Guardians have been on Metamoor a little over that amount of time. Does Lady Will have anything to do with your master's ability to make your contract? You said he would never hurt her, but has he used her for his own gain?"

Achilles froze, eyes wide, before bursting into tears. "It's not like that," he sobbed and Will glared at Cedric. She didn't like what she was finding out, but he didn't have to make the kid cry.

"Who's the crybaby?" a new, sleepy voice asked from a cracked door.

They all looked to see Cecilia standing in a yellow nightgown, feet bare, rubbing her eyes.

"I'm not a crybaby," Achilles defended through his sobs.

Cecilia yawned, stepping into the room while countering. "Yes, you are. You cry like my brothers and they are babies. So you are a crybaby. Simple."

Miranda smirked, trying to hold back her laughter at her daughter's words.

"Cecilia," Cedric called, voice firm but not angry. "Bed, now."

The little blond looked up at her tall father, eyes holding his, only to turn and completely ignore him in favor of Will and Achilles.

"I am Cecilia," she announced, next to Will. "I didn't get to meet you at dinner. The other Guardians said you were busy."

Cedric sighed, rolling his eyes as Miranda grinned up at him. "Your daughter has no respect," he said to his wife.

"She may look like you, dear, but she's me through and through."

"Um," Will said, rubbing Achilles' back to calm him. If someone had told her Phobos' familiar would be a super sweet, emotional frog boy, she would have ruptured a lung from laughing. "I'm Will. And sorry about dinner. It's just been a busy day."

Cecilia nodded, eyeing the sniffling frog boy. "Your son cries a lot. I can help. I help with Mattie and Row when they cry."

Will smiled. "He's not my kid, but that's really nice to offer. Achilles will be okay. It's been a busy day for him, too."

She frowned. "The crying is annoying," she stressed, making it clear the offer wasn't from her being nice. "If he's not your son, take him outside and leave him with a servant. Or in the sables."

Cedric quickly admonished, "He's not a pet, Cecilia. Don't be rude."

While Will knew Cedric wanted Achilles gone too, he just couldn't ignore his daughter's behavior.

"Sorry," she apologized, unbothered. "Are you staying the night?" she asked, eyeing the sniffling boy. "You can stay with me, Will, but he has to sleep with the other babies. Babies wet the bed."

Damn, this girl was savage. No wonder Irma was so excited at dinner if this was the shit she was saying.

"I'm not a baby!" Achilles snapped, glaring at the blond. "I'm a familiar!"

Cecilia muttered under her breath, "A baby familiar."

Cedric picked his daughter up as he finally brought everything to a close. "No, they are not staying. Say goodnight to the High Witch."

She yawned, happily laying her head on her father's shoulder and curling into his arms. "Good night, Lady Will. Daddy says I will start learning magic soon and I get to go to school here. I hope you visit again." She frowned. "And can you bring your other friends next time? They cry less."

Cedric passed his daughter to Miranda, who looked endlessly proud of her sass, and directed Will to follow him to the hall.

"We will be in the castle this coming evening. Whatever troubles are currently following you," he said, staring at Achilles. "Do not let them near my family." His eyes flashed, for a moment snake like and predatory, making Achilles shrink into her arms. "Remember, I am not without fangs."

Will understood the warning and found it oddly endearing. How protective he was of his family.

She smiled, her own eyes flashing with magic. "Of course. How could I ever forget?"