Chapter Twelve
Celie glanced around her mother's solar uncomfortably. The silence was so awkward, and Celie certainly wasn't about to be the one to break it.
Queen Celina had invited Kalys to tea with them. Not that Celie had a huge issue with that, it was just she got the feeling that Kalys was suddenly very uncomfortable. Lilah, who had dramatically told Celie that she'd caught Rolf and Kalys doing rather suggestive things this morning, was not going to talk either. Celie knew for a fact Lilah probably had not knocked, and Rolf never kept his bedroom door locked. He always said he never kept anything important in there, so it was sort of pointless. Not today, Celie supposed.
"So, Delilah," Queen Celina started. "Have we finalized the decoration styles?"
Celie sighed. She couldn't wait for Lilah to be married, so then maybe they could actually discuss real problems. A month had passed peacefully since Arkwright had showed up, and apparently it had lulled the rest of the family to worry about such domestic issues. Celie did wish they were the only problems, but they weren't.
Kalys looked like she was about to laugh, and Celie wondered if it was because she had not a care in the world about decoration styles. Celie knew she had disappointed the more artistic side of the family because Kalys had no care for what her wedding looked like.
"Oh, yes, Lulath and I decided days ago," Lilah said, waving her hand in front of her face.
Celie turned to Kalys, desperate to talk about anything other than Lilah's lavish wedding.
"How's the baby?" Celie asked, and Kalys blushed. Queen Celina sent her a sharp look, but she ignored her mother.
"Making me light headed every three hours," Kalys grumbled, though her face held a smirk. "And throw up every morning."
Queen Celina winced in sympathy. "My pregnancy with Rolf was much the same. Cecelia was the easiest pregnancy, so there's hope for next time."
Kalys raised an eyebrow, and Celie wondered if it was scary to think about a next time. Of course, Rolf was expected to have a lot of children, though Celie thought they could wait a bit. Getting used to one baby would probably be hard enough, especially because Rolf and Kalys hadn't really been together very long.
"We were horrible as babies?" Lilah asked, and Celie wondered that too. Her mother didn't talk about them as babies too often anymore, and now that there was about to be baby in the family, Celie thought it'd be nice to hear about.
"Bran and Delilah were very easy babies," Queen Celina said smiling. "They got along very well as toddlers, too. Rolf was born in late August, when he was supposed to be born in early August. He was a healthy baby, but a terrible sleeper, and very clingy."
"What about me?" Celie demanded. The Queen was pausing, obviously thinking about what Rolf's baby was going to be like.
"You were so tiny," Queen Celina said patiently. "You were a very calm baby, though you didn't really like anyone other than your family. You adored your siblings, especially Bran.
"I'm excited to have another baby in the family," Queen Celina said, and Celie could hear the sincerity in her voice.
Celie thought having a baby in the family was great news. Then everyone could coo over him or her, and then they'd forget about Celie. She would be free to roam the halls of the Castle with Rufus and draw or griffin ride. She would be left in peace, while Lilah could have something else as a real-life doll. Celie shook her head. Rolf would never let that happen to his child.
"In the Found this would be wonderful news," Kalys commented, picking at a scone. "Babies and pregnancies came with a lot of celebration. Especially for the Hathelockes. We died out rather quickly."
Celie's heart pinched as she watched Kalys. She was looking up defiantly, and suddenly Celie felt very spoiled. Perhaps Kalys was much happier about this than they had all thought.
"Kalys, I'm sorry if we've made this too difficult for you," Queen Celina said, after a long period of silence. There were tears filling her eyes.
"That's not what I meant," Kalys responded. "I didn't mean to make you feel guilty. I just, I don't know, if not for all the chaos this pregnancy has induced politically if you will, I think I might actually be happy. Even now, I'm a little happy. I don't want you to think that I am terribly depressed and angry about this, I am not."
"I think it's hard to know what you think when you let Rolf represent you," Lilah said, and Celie envied the way how she could sound so gently when she said it.
Kalys shrugged. "Rolf doesn't feel so different than I do, but he is working through other things than I am."
The answer was short and simple, and Celie felt another pang go off in her heart. She was starting to get the feeling that she didn't know her brother at all. It wasn't that she never talked to him, she did, but she had a sudden inkling that Kalys was one of a few people he was completely honest with about things.
As Celie grew older, she often wondered how many things had gone on during her adventures that she didn't know about. Pogue had once made a comment about a scar Rolf had on his back being from Khelsh, and Celie had wondered what else was. She wondered how Rolf, Pogue, and Lulath had actually escaped from Arkwright, and she wondered how much they had all seen and realized that she hadn't. It was certainly morbid, but she supposed that was all a part of growing up.
"Anyways," Kalys said, perking up, and leaving the rest of them to think about what she just said, "I have to go help Pogue with the griffins. Coming, Celie?"
"You need a haircut," Kalys mused as Rolf rolled off of her, his breath warm and panting on her neck.
He laid his head on her sweaty chest, and her fingers ran through his hair, twisting at the long ends on the base of his neck. He hummed in response, reaching to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. Their sheets were tangled enough, and Kalys sighed as she kicked her legs out of them.
The Friday morning was grey and bleak; snow coming falling from the dark window. It was cold outside of their bed, and Kalys gratefully huddled under the blankets Rolf was fussing with, drawing the covers over them. He smoothed out the sheets, turning on his side to look at her.
"Father's making a decision on when we're leaving the Castle tomorrow," he said, his eyes studying hers. "I think he's going to have us leave the night of Lilah's wedding, but I can't be positive. Him and Mother have been arguing about it continuously."
Kalys let her hand snake around to toy with his hair again, the strands soft against her fingertips. She had heard him stir last night, quite a bit and he looked it.
"What do you want?" She asked, and he looked away.
"I want to do something," he said. "I want all of this to go away, and I want to raise our family in peace."
"What do you want to go away? All of it? Or Casper and Arkwright?" Kalys questioned, her heart quickening. She needed to hear it direct.
Even now, their bodies were bare before each other, every bit of her biological, carnal passion revealed to him. He had seen her cry out for release; and she had seen him squirm, moaning for climax. Physical vulnerability was what their relationship was built on, something that brought them great pleasure, but something, Kalys knew, that when the faulty foundation of it crumbled, would bring great pain.
"Casper and Arkwright," Rolf said, his voice soft. "I've come to realize how alright, I am with this. The marriage, the baby."
He was still being vague. Kalys could see, nearly hear the fear bubbling in him at this admission. She wondered how dark things really had gotten.
"I'm sort of scared, Kalys," he admitted. "Of loving something so fiercely, but imperfectly. I'm terrified of loving so deeply, and then having to say goodbye too soon."
Tears slipped down Kalys's cheeks as she closed her eyes, simply remembering. Her mother's face, her father's voice. Gone. A rush of emotions filled her when she realized that the thought of losing Rolf was met with the same pain.
"I killed three men in Hatheland," he said, the admission making Kalys's eyes pop open. "We were trying to escape from the Arkower, and they tried to stop us, swords drawn. Pogue and Lulath looked over at me to make the call, and it was my first real moment of choosing, I suppose. I remember saying we fight until the end."
He paused, eyebrows knit together, staring above her head this time, guilt keeping him from meeting her eyes.
"I often wonder if their parents or siblings, or wives or children, I suppose, ever found out what really happened," he finished. "My job is dangerous, despite what my family would portray to the outer world. The Castle is both the safest and in the most danger it ever has been. I'm terrified to be loved, and then die, because I'm terrified of the ones I love dying."
Kalys whimpered, tears falling heavily down her cheeks at the words pouring from his mouth. His own eyes were wet, and he looked down again to her face.
"You are my wife, I took a vow to you, and I have not treated you as one," he said. "I have wanted to; but I have let my selfish fears come first. And yet, I have used you as a plaything when I am scared, and I am sorry for that.
"In my true heart of hearts, I feel I have fallen madly in love with you. And quite honestly, at least in this moment, the thought of having a baby with you thrills me. I have let the way people assume I am supposed to feel alter the way I actually do, and for that I am sorry.
"If you do not feel the same, I understand. I just, well I can't keep lying to you. I have no problem wearing a mask around my family, but you, you make me feel so incredibly guilty for wearing one. Not because of your actions, but because of who you are. And I think that's why I'm in love with you," Rolf finished.
Kalys didn't say anything, just nudged his arms to hold her, pulling their unclothed bodies against each other. The emotional vulnerability fit nearly was perfect as their physical bareness with each other.
"I love you," he whispered into her ear. "I do."
She pressed a chaste kiss against his lips. "I love you, too."
"Checkmate," Rolf announced cheerfully, moving his knight, and Pogue frowned, sitting back.
It wasn't even his game, but Pogue had thought that Bran was winning for sure. Rolf had a sneaky talent of trapping his chess opponent without really anyone knowing until he checkmated them. Perhaps that was why he was the next King Glower.
"I have to hand it to you," Bran said, leaning back on his chair. "You're quite the prodigy, you know."
"I've been beating you at chess since before you left for the College," Rolf snorted, and Pogue wondered if Rolf was still young enough to be called a prodigy.
Bran sighed. "How old were you when I went off to the College? That feels like such a time ago."
"I was ten," Rolf responded, and Pogue identified the time when he had begun to really develop his flirting habits. He winced; what he would've told te he twelve-year old version of himself. "It was only six years ago."
Bran blinked. "A lot has happened in those six years."
"A lot has happened in the past two years," Rolf corrected, and Pogue nodded.
He absentmindedly ran his hand over Arrow's back, thinking about how much had changed over the past two years. While he had his own family, the Glowers had become quite dear to his heart, and it was both terrifying and a touch melancholy that they'd had adventure after adventure. Especially ones where they had all been at risk for dying.
"Weird to think about," Bran said, shaking his head. "Now look where we all are."
Pogue coughed at the thick tension between the brothers as Rolf flushed, catching the implied meaning.
"You go so back and forth on this whole situation," Rolf said softly. "You confuse me, Bran."
Pogue felt slightly awkward, now. He was used to siblings bicker, but he felt as if this was a bit private, especially considering what this was about. He hadn't really talked about the pregnancy with anyone, feeling very much that it wasn't his business besides Casper. Rolf seemed as if he wasn't going to discuss it, and surprisingly, Celie hadn't brought anything up with him.
"Don't leave, Pogue," Rolf demanded.
Pogue sat back down on his chair, though he didn't really feel like staying in this awkward tension. Then again, Rolf had told them all while he was there, further signifying that he considered Pogue to be part of the family in some sort of way. He could sort of appreciate that, but he was more annoyed with Rolf for asking him to stay for this.
"I didn't mean it negatively," Bran finally said, glancing at Pogue. "I'm not trying to insult you, or act as if this is such a burden."
Pogue shifted in his chair. Technically, with this whole Casper thing it was a burden, but he kept his mouth shut. He was still feeling out how Rolf felt about the whole thing. The prince had been rather depressed, and Pogue had noticed Rolf had suddenly spent the majority of his days working. That had started before the pregnancy had been announced, and surely before they could've known.
"Everyone is just assuming that I'm regretting all of this," Rolf responded, looking at both of them directly in the eye in turn. "What if I'm actually excited for impending fatherhood?"
"Are you?" Pogue asked, wondering if he was bluffing.
While Pogue could easily read most people he came into contact with, Rolf had become harder and harder to pin down. After witnessing everything after Khelsh, or in Hatheland, Pogue realized how easily the crown prince hid things from people. It wasn't that he was a liar; he was just good at manipulating his emotions to reflect how he wanted people to view him. Not that he'd ever really used it for evil, it was much more in a self-destructive way.
Rolf shrugged. "All this Casper stuff aside, I don't mind the idea. I was supposed to produce an heir sometime, wasn't I? And honestly, I think it was very naive of Mother and Father not to think anything was going to happen eventually, don't you?"
Pogue nodded. It was very true; he'd thought that from the beginning. It's not like Kalys being pregnant really surprised him, if it disappointed him. And that disappointment, to echo Rolf, really only came from Casper coming back, nothing else. He was willing to even be happy for Rolf as long as it didn't ensure all their certain deaths.
"That being said," Rolf continued. "I'm nervous, frightened even at the thought of fathering a child, but perhaps it could bring some domestic excitement that my life has been missing."
Pogue snorted and Rolf grinned back, winningly.
"I'd rather it be domestic excitement than life-threatening excitement."
Kalys knew what she had to do. Really, she should've thought of this before, but she had sort of pushed the worries aside. Now she refused to just sit and wait and do nothing. She felt like she'd been doing nothing for months.
Rolf was playing chess with Bran, a game which Kalys had no idea why Rolf was so interested in that he had scheduled games with his brother, but an advantage to her in this moment. She went into the dressing rooms, shoving aside clothes in her wardrobe to open the box of books she kept hidden in there. The book she selected was old, and cracking, and one of the few that Kalys had kept hidden from the rest of the world. It wasn't that she was hiding something, she just wanted something of her own, to herself. Without curious people breathing down her neck and asking questions. It was a rather rude judgement she supposed, especially considering how much the Glower family had provided for her, but she still kept some things hidden. Even from Rolf.
She hauled the heavy book, plopping it onto the middle of the bed, before making sure the door was locked. That way she could hear the door move in time to put it back of Rolf came in earlier than she thought. The book smelled old, and for a second, it smelled like home. Kalys pushed the idea aside; this was her home now.
She traced the vibrant image, trying to bathe herself in the nostalgia before she had to accept the reality that some of these harsh legends may be true. There was a picture of an old wizard, one who was drawn larger than the Castle, representing, Kalys realized with a start, Casper most likely. She blinked, staring at the image, trying to remember what the Casper in the dungeons looked like.
She rubbed her forehead, eyes darting to the description, the Hathelocke words natural to her eye. She frowned, remembering some of the legend, but not all of it. The Builder, jealous of Casper's power tried to lock him inside the Castle, but instead of his magic being sucked out of him, he only harnessed the Castle to do his will. It was really quite terrifying.
"The scepter," she whispered, thumbing through the pages to see if she could find more on it.
Supposedly, it was the only thing that could be wielded to stop the wizard. The Arkish weren't able to use it due to its properties, though Kalys was logical enough to realize her people probably just made that up. It seemed like something they would've done, and it certainly seemed like the Arkish to use that as an excuse to split the Castle in half.
"It's probably still in Hatheland," she breathed, tracing the golden stick, it's engravings matching the crown and rings. "Maybe Arkwright knows where it's hidden!"
She read greedily, it had been a couple years since she'd had time to open this book in particular, how it was suspected the Arkish had hidden the scepter away from the crown and rings. How they figured that out, considering this book had been written after the Castle had come to Sleyne, and Kalys figured they just made that up. It was difficult picking truth from bias; her people were very opinionated on what they thought happened, not just what actually happened.
Kalys finally closed the book, laying back against the pillows, both hands on her pregnant belly. She wondered if when she'd start feeling the baby; she remembered women talking about it.
"If we can figure out where the scepter is," Kalys whispered to the baby. "Then we have a chance!"
She smiled at the thought of the baby coming into a peaceful scenario; of being held and squished by Queen Celina, cooed over by Delilah, being passed around through the family. She nearly teared up as she imagined Rolf cradling a newborn against him, Kalys smothering their baby in kisses.
But that had never been their destiny, she supposed. She really could've known that the moment she'd stepped on a magical Ship.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a key in the door, and Kalys scrambled to leap across the room and shove the book into her wardrobe in the dressing room.
"What are you still doing up?" Rolf called, and Kalys heard him lock the door. He'd always be locking the door since Delilah had walked in on them looking for a griffin brush. Kalys wasn't sure she'd ever been more embarrassed. "It's rather late."
Kalys walked out of the dressing room, shivering in her nightgown, always wondering how Rolf managed to stay warm in sleep pants. She tried to seem causal, but the more she tried the more she seemed like she was lying.
"Couldn't sleep."
Rolf raised his eyebrows at her, but proceeded to climb into bed, kicking his tunic and boots aside. He looked tired, but Kalys pushed away the guilt for asking such a serious question at moment of his exhaustion. It was important.
She really only had one option. She had to go see Casper herself to see if all of this was true. For one, she was the most familiar with who he claimed to be. For two, as a Hathelocke, Kalys had no doubt that Caper would be the most honest with her; she was of his people, carrying the baby who he seemed to want. For three, and this one, even she had to admit was a touch selfish, Kalys wanted to know if it was really the Castle who had brought her here, or if it was Casper. A deep ache came with the worry that it was Casper. Every time.
But to get to the dungeons, she had to be able to ditch her body guard. And to do that, she had to get someone of authority to go with her, so that she could get away with that. While she knew if she was to be sneaky, Celie was her best bet of getting Greyson Avery off her scent, but Kalys couldn't quite justify getting the fourteen year-old in trouble. She also knew that sneaking around probably was something that would land her I'm not great territory; which meant she needed to convince someone of authority to go with her and make her bodyguard stand down. So, then, that left the king and queen, Bran, or Rolf.
Kalys immediately ruled out the king and Queen. The king would promptly tell Bran to do it, and Kalys couldn't really expect Queen Celina to go behind her husband's back. In the end, she decided to ask Rolf first, mostly because her conversations with Bran took a lot of courage from her, and always ended up being rather awkward.
"Absolutely not," Rolf said once she suggested it.
Kalys wanted to pout, but she decided it wouldn't really help her cause.
"Why?" She came to sit by Dagger, patting the griffin's head.
"Because it's stupid," Rolf answered, coming out of bed again to drink a cup of water. "Father would have my head if he knew I ordered the guard off of you."
"I need to see him! We could manage to go and see him without your father finding out," she pointed out.
"It's not just about that," Rolf argued. "Casper is very dangerous, and so is Arkwright. Arkwright also hates Hathelockes, which if you haven't noticed could put you in great danger."
"They're in a cell," Kalys said, knowing she sounded very whiny. "I just need to know if the legends are true."
"I feel like the legend of Casper is true, so you probably don't have to wonder," Rolf told her, raising his eyebrows.
"The legend of the scepter," Kalys clarified, and Rolf cocked his head. "A scepter that would destroy him."
Kalys sighed, marching into the dressing room to find the book she'd just been reading. So much for saving some of her culture for herself. It was a selfish thought, she knew, but she was still annoyed that she had to show Rolf the book. Ideally, he would just believe her. She shook her head. Rolf always needed evidence of such things, it's what would make him a good king.
She scanned until she found the scepter, translating the words for him. Rolf frowned, taking the book from her to stare at the drawing of the golden scepter.
"Why didn't you tell us before?" He asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
"Because I forgot about it," Kalys said. It was a half-lie. She had forgotten about the scepter part, but she'd also had a nagging suspicion the whole time she should reread the story. "Besides, without context the whole story has always been far-fetched even to the Hathelockes."
"I think you should tell Bran, and have him do the investigating." Rolf sighed, seeming to search her face.
"Maybe, but I need to go with him. I think Casper will tell the truth if I'm there, and then we can really see for ourselves why Arkwright is here," Kalys pleaded, coming to lay her hands on his forearms. She tried to look him in the eye, and see if she could plead with her eyes, but she didn't really know if that was a real thing. Lilah seemed to do it enough, Kalys should ask her.
"It's too dangerous," Rolf responded, taking his hands in hers, and circling her palms with his thumbs.
"We'll take Dagger and Arrow. Besides, they're locked up in a dungeon cell."
"Kalys, no. I can't risk your life and the life of the baby; you've said it yourself, Casper's a powerful wizard," Rolf said, and Kalys could hear that he wouldn't be changing his mind. "Besides, moldy, dusty dungeons really can't be good for women in your, uh, condition."
Kalys raised her eyebrows at his awkward description of her current state. He just smiled sheepishly back.
"A little dust won't kill me, but Casper might if we don't know enough!" She said, pulling her hands away.
"Exactly why we shouldn't go down there," Rolf pointed out. "You really should go to bed, I heard how many times you woke up last night."
Kalys narrowed her eyes. "I'm not tired. Besides, it's dusty enough in the library and you're fine with me being in there."
"I'm utterly exhausted, but if you're not, you could read a book," he suggested and Kalys thought that was a rather lame answer.
She sighed, realizing defeat. Rolf kissed her gently before blowing out his candle and climbing into bed. She followed suit, though she didn't fall asleep nearly as quickly as Rolf did. She was tired, certainly, she had woken up last night a lot, but now she was wide awake, forming a new plan to get her way.
"See if you can find any stronger truth spells-even experiments. I have no problem experimenting on Arkwright," Bran told Thalia and she nodded.
Bran sighed, rubbing a hand down his forehead. This was exhausting work. When he had gone to the College, most of what he was told his duties would include was to chart illness or suss out wizards who were dabbling. Not wizards who were pure evil. Nor wizards who were trying to steal royal babies. Thalia sent him a sympathetic look, which he appreciated, but didn't quite help matters.
A knock at the door interrupted Bran's thoughts, and he groaned inwardly.
"If it's Rolf again, or Castle forgive me, Cecelia, I swear I'm going to-" Bran complained, watching the door open.
Kalys stood there, clutching a very old, cracked book to her chest. Bran was immediately intrigued. She glanced behind her, and Bran could see her bodyguard, Greyson Avery (the sergeant's younger, more severe brother), standing solemnly at her back. He winced in sympathy, the guard was more of a bear than him.
"I need to talk to you," she said, looking him directly in the eye, brow furrowed. "Alone. It's about Casper."
Bran didn't really see any harm in dismissing her bodyguard. She'd be with two licensed wizards, which honestly was much better than a bodyguard. He nodded, and she fully stepped into the room, her two long braids swinging. He nodded, knowing he probably needed her help more than she needed his-information wise.
"Thank you for escorting Princess Kalys," he said smoothly. "She is scheduled to assist Wizard Thalia and I for the next hour or so, so you will be free of your duties until I ring for you again. Thank you for your service."
"Of course, Your Royal Wizardness," Greyson Avery said, bowing, and letting the doors close behind Kalys.
Kalys watched, seeming a touch surprised at how easily that went. Bran smiled at her; he had a great amount of authority, only really the king outranking him. Since Queen Celina was now a licensed wizard, she was now subject under a wizard's oath, which meant Bran outranked her, and she lost her title as soon as King Glower left the throne. Technically, now, this had all been very complicated in writing, and a lot of arguing had happened with Headmaster Thorn, the Council, King Glower, and the Bishop of Sleyne, Rolf outranked his mother because she could not rule by herself or as a regent anymore, and Bran couldn't remember if Rolf outranked him or not. Not that he was one to leech on to authority, or pull rank, but Bran at some point would have to obey his younger brother, he just didn't know when. Or if that time had already begun.
"So I was reading in some of the Hathelocke legends last night," Kalys began, handing him the book. It was bookmarked to a page, and Bran opened it to a detailed drawing of a scepter. "As I'm sure I've informed you, Casper is a Hathelocke legend, and partially the reason everyone left Hatheland. But I had forgotten about this claim: supposedly there is a scepter, notice the engravings and gemstones match those of the crown, rings, and griffin collar, that can banish such a threat as Casper."
Bran frowned. The writing was all in Hathelocke, though he could see Kalys provided a piece of paper next to it in Sleynth.
"Why didn't the Hathelockes use it before?" He asked, and Kalys shrugged.
"Because, or so my people claim, that the Arkish wanted Casper to take over so that they had an excuse to split the eye, so they stole it and hid it from my people," she explained easily, pointing to the next paragraph. "It's a little far-fetched, I know, but it has to be something."
Bran nodded, leaning against his work table, eyes skimming the words quickly. This was quite helpful, especially if it was true.
"Thalia, could you go into the village and grab the things on this list?"
She nodded, and he handed a piece of paper. He'd said it, because he really did need some of the things for a certain serum, and because he could tell Kalys wanted to tell him something further that Thalia's presence hindered that. He didn't know why; maybe it was a trust issue. Maybe Kalys had seen a lot of spies or something in the Found.
"And," Kalys continued after Thalia left, proving his point. "I think you should take me down to the dungeons to see Casper."
Bran cocked his head. A part of him wondered if Kalys was on Casper's side and she was going to communicate with him. Bran shook his head, Kalys wasn't evil, and he'd always sensed that her attitude towards them was very genuine. Especially around Rolf.
"Why?" He asked, trying to sense any deceit in her.
"Because I think Casper will be honest with me," she said simply. "I am a Hathelocke, and the mother of the child he wants. I think that he will tell me about the scepter if I ask."
It was a reasonable assumption; Bran didn't really doubt it. Casper had been obsessed with Kalys the few times Bran had been down there to converse with him, so he was pretty sure she was right. He nodded slowly.
"Let's go then, shall we?"
His father would kill him if he knew about this, but Bran thought the risk was worth it at this point. Casper showed no sign of wanting to escape, and Arkwright had sat bored in his cell all day. The Castle had made no signs of letting either of them out-something that made Bran wonder if Casper really did control the Castle.
"Do you feel the Castle turn?" Bran asked as he felt the familiar twist in his head as it guided them to the dungeon stairs. "Like in your head?"
Kalys nodded. "I've felt it since the Ship."
Bran ignored the itch to begin writing things down, especially since only the Glower family could feel the Castle. Bran assumed she would since the marriage, but what she was saying was news to him. But it would have to wait.
Bran nodded to the guards at the door, and they opened the heavy, slotted doors to the stairs leading down into the darkest parts of the Castle. It was dusty and moldy down there, a combination that Bran realized probably wasn't the best for Kalys, but he ignored it, and started down the stairs.
"You've brought the most important person down here, Royal Wizard Bran," Casper gloated, smiling widely when he spotted Kalys. "My dear, you look wonderful."
Kalys just stared at Casper, her large eyes seeming to grow wider. Her hand rested naturally on her growing bump, which Bran realized was very prominent now. The baby would be here in four months. That wasn't a very long time.
"You know who he is, don't you, girl?" Arkwright hissed. "You know our decision was for the best."
"Kalys, what is he talking about?" Bran asked, suddenly nervous.
Kalys was looking at Casper very strangely. There was no fear on her face, but Casper was looking at her like he had at Rolf. Bran suddenly very much regretted his decision to bring her down here. He wondered if Casper was sending her vision, like Rolf had claimed.
"He's talking about splitting the eye," Kalys said slowly. "Unless this all fake."
"We all know that's not true," Arkwright snapped. "Even you, Bran."
"The little prince hates the child within you," Casper accused. "You love it; you want him."
The Kalys listened made Bran uneasy.
"Rolf doesn't hate the baby," Bran argued, but Arkwright shook his head at him, as if he shouldn't talk. "He told me just last night he was excited."
It was a stretch, but Bran thought it was true enough. But Kalys didn't turn towards him at all. She looked like she was trapped on Casper. Panic started to well up on him, and he looked at Arkwright for help. Then he shook himself. Arkwright was evil, too.
"You heard my call since the Ship, Kalys. You've heard me bring you home. Away from the wretched Found, where our people died-where your mother killed herself at the idea of living longer without the Castle," Casper continued, and Bran felt sick.
Was that really true? Kalys had tears in her eyes as she listened, and Bran supposed it was.
"You're here now, my dear, and you're here for a purpose. You know it; bring me the child, that's all you have to do. I'll be rid of the Arkish sitting on the throne, and I'll be rid of your wretched husband," he snarled. "Just bring me your son willingly, that's all you have to do, and I'll put you on the throne."
Bran hates how tempted Kalys looked by this. Tears were slipping down her cheeks rapidly, and there was a want in her blue eyes that Bran couldn't ignore. Both her hands rested on her pregnant stomach.
"You feel your son moving inside you," Casper said in a sing-song voice. "He's meant to replace me. Just let yourself be rid of his father."
"Kalys, don't listen to him," Bran shouted, taking a step closer to her.
She whimpered, but didn't look away, her eyes still locked on Casper.
"Don't let him manipulate you, love," Casper snapped. "Don't be afraid of me. You have nothing to fear."
Kalys swallowed, still silent, eyes still locked. Magic built in the air, and Bran had no doubt that it was from both the wizards. Tension was skyrocketing, and Bran felt like something was about to crack.
"Bran, find the scepter," Arkwright hissed. "In the Glorious Arkower."
The comment distracted him for a second, but before he could think, the Castle heaved, and Bran almost fell over. Kalys was beginning to have some sort of haze around her, and Bran tried to think of a spell to put her to sleep, but he felt like he couldn't think, or move. The magic was so thick, him, Casper, Arkwright, and a glowing Kalys all together was creating an almost touchable atmosphere. It coated everything, and Bran didn't know what to do.
"Kalys, look at me," he managed to whisper out. Just trying to pull her away and see something different.
Kalys ripped her eyes to him, a helplessness in her large eyes. Casper roared in pain, everything cracking as the Castle heaved. Kalys dropped to her knees, panting, the atmosphere around them shattering, and falling. Kalys looked so remorseful, more tears coming down her face, and Bran didn't know what to do. She looked up at him, her lips moving, but Bran didn't know if she was being silent or if he couldn't hear.
"She's a strong one," Arkwright chuckled. "Not many could've resisted that."
The words comforted him as he dove next to her, checking her pulse, and then pulling her up to stand by him. She leaned heavily against him, and Bran gripped her tightly to keep her from collapsing. All of this obvious stress would be terrible for the baby, but he pushed that aside to keep them both alive right now. He began pushing her towards the stairs, but Casper was cackling again, and Bran instinctively looked toward him, and was plunged into darkness.