Chapter thirty-one: Three corners

Jack felt wind carry through his visor as the Valkyries carried him through the air. He saw the Aether from above. It looked…nice. If only he had wings. Maybe then he and Brigul would've had a chance to reach the portal in time.

Soon enough, the Sanctuary came in view. It took longer than he thought. Had he really made it that far? Just how close had he come to the portal, anyway?

They descended and landed onto the Aercloud at the Sanctuary's entrance. Jack stumbled a little as his feet hit the ground. The Valkyries at his sides led him inside. As they passed through the corridors, Jack was met with judging gazes from the few Valkyries that had remained here.

They led him the familiar way to the throne room. Herskagul, wearing her usual silver armor and white cloak, was standing there facing the entrance. Her back was straight, her posture regal as ever. The two Valkyries pushed Jack down to his knees, then finally let go of his arms.

Jack glared up at Herskagul through his lowered visor. She returned his gaze with a stern one.

"Jack," the High Queen finally said. "When I heard what happened with Skotur, I was willing to believe Brigul took you against your will…but now I've heard reports of you fighting at her side."

"Where is she now?"

"Awaiting justice. Just like you."

Jack glanced around the throne room. Valkyrie guards lined the walls. Some of the ones that had played a part in his capture were still coming in.

"Well," someone else said—a male voice, coming from behind Jack. "I suppose if we are to maintain our alliance with the mobs, I should act as your advocate."

Jack turned his head—and he did a double take. Raulyn stepped forward.

"You…" Jack whispered.

Raulyn looked at him with calm brown eyes. Then he turned to Herskagul. "So. He is here, as you promised. Now what?"

"Humans don't get the same punishments as Valkyries," Herskagul said. "Now that we've confirmed that he has gone rogue and broken our agreement, we will think of how best to deal with him."

"Respectfully, Queen," Raulyn said, "I did not come all this way to see him behind foreign bars. He has committed crimes against us too, and I will not have our laws be belittled in favor of yours." His voice was calm but steady. Jack noticed several Valkyries looking at him sternly, as if he had directly insulted them. Which, well, might just be the case.

Herskagul looked at him with an unreadable expression. "Tell me why I should believe that you'll sacrifice your bond with the mobs to prosecute him."

"Because he caused the deaths of two of my friends."

Herskagul held his gaze, eyes narrowed. "Your friends…" She looked from Jack to Raulyn. "Tristan…?"

A glint of surprise shined in Raulyn's stoic eyes. "You know him?"

"One of the Overseers. He's been helping Jack until he met us."

"I should've listened to him," Jack said quietly.

"Fickleness has a price," Herskagul said.

"Coming from you, that's rich." He looked around the room at the other Valkyries. "Did she tell you about that? About what the artefact is for? And that device? Brigul tried to save your asses, and this is how you thank her!"

"Enough!"

He glared at her. "Why don't you go ahead and tell them what you're trying to do?" He nodded to Raulyn. "You know why he's so okay with this? Hunters love it when anything that isn't human gets itself killed!"

"You betrayed our agreement and will pay the price for it."

"Wait," Raulyn said. "I want to know what he has learned."

She barely spared him a glance. "This is Aether business, Captain. You needn't concern yourself with our politics."

"Any threat to the Aether is a threat to the Overworld," Raulyn insisted.

"There is no threat to speak of."

"If so, why did one of your most loyal Valkyries turn against you?"

Herskagul looked at him, and Jack thought that he could see a hint of annoyance behind her eyes. That was pretty satisfying.

"There resides a sickness in the Aether," Herskagul finally said. "It's bound to darkness and deterred by sunlight…and the only way to keep it in check is to harness that light."

"And who better to do that," Jack interjected, "than Karthuul himself?" He looked around. Most Valkyries didn't show any reaction, but some hesitantly glanced at their peers. That was probably about as much emotion as he'd see from them.

"Karthuul?" Raulyn questioned slowly.

"A spirit," Herskagul said, showing no signs of anger at Jack's revelation. "An enemy of ours. He died long ago."

"No, he didn't," Jack said.

"A hostile spirit…?" A hint of realization dawned on Raulyn's eyes. "A threat…to the Aether and the Overworld."

"We'll be sure to destroy the portal once you've gone through it, to prevent him access should he escape captivity."

"So Jack tells the truth; you do intend to bring it back."

More Valkyries reacted this time. Half of them had visors covering their faces, but the little gestures, the glances, the slight changes in their postures said it all. Jack even heard a few whispers among them.

"Yes," Herskagul confessed, and Jack heard a wave of mumbles from the Valkyrie crowd. "To use his power for our own ends."

"You cannot contain a spirit." Raulyn pointed to Jack. "And if we are to pass through that portal before you doom yourselves, we will bring him with us. It would be different if he were one of yours, but he is human. He has wronged humankind in the Overworld, and should face our justice."

"He may be human, but he isn't from the Overworld. Your justice has no precedence."

"Given what he is, he is still closer to the Overworld people than your people, is he not? Skotur called you a paragon of honor. Surely, you would not deny us our justice?"

"Not at all; you'll have your trial—here in the Sanctuary."

"Two counts of treason," Raulyn persisted. "One against you, one against us. Resisting arrest. Sympathizing with mobs. We have every reason to convict this man ourselves."

"You also have a reason not to." She raised a hand, preventing him from retorting. "But as I said, I can let you partake in the trial. We'll convict him for his crimes against the Overworld as well, according to your justice system…so long as he stays here."

"That is not enough."

"Explain."

"Our justice is very specific," Raulyn said. He showed such little hesitation that Jack wasn't sure if he was bluffing or not. "We have some very particular prisons reserved for traitors and sympathizers."

"I…see. Perhaps we will have to make compromises then."

"You're good at that, aren't you," Jack said. "Compromises."

They glanced at him.

"I'm not going to spend time in any prison," Jack said, standing up from his kneeling position. Valkyries moved forward to grab him, but Herskagul raised her hand to stop them. "And I'm sure as fuck not going to get executed."

"You think yourself above consequences…"

"Save it. And no, I don't think that. It's just something Skotur told me, once."

"Skotur?"

"Yeah…" He pointed at her. "Something about challenging a Queen to a one-on-one fight, right?"