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One more death among thousands was nothing.
She tightened her grip on the leather-wrapped hilt, warm from being held while her agile mind tripped over every possibility. Her nerves unraveled like a startled hare, but her face was a smooth mask. She had taught herself to hold that mask through anything over the years. Betray no emotion. She could not afford otherwise.
She secured the dagger in one of the sleeves that hid her fading bruises. The soft folds of fabric held the cool blade pressed to her skin.
She took a steadying breath, then pushed through her chamber door. The halls were dark and silent. Well-guarded. She knew exactly how many guards she must pass to reach the Chamber of Stars. Counted them in her head the way she used to count steps to calm herself. A child’s trick. She’d taught it to David, but Nevit didn’t have the patience for it. He only wanted to argue and strike things like his father. His twin, Nelanna, just watched her, deep blue eyes dripping with something akin to sympathy, as if a girl of four could understand the desperation of their situation.
She swallowed. It would be difficult to get the children out safely. But they were the reason she was taking this action.
Two more doors. And then she was standing before the entrance to the Chamber of Stars, where he was waiting.
She did not pause at the door. That would betray her hesitation to the guards, and no one could suspect anything was amiss.
Inside, everything was bathed in a soft blue light emanating from the magic-lit world map in the center of the room. The ceiling of the round room held enchanted paint that glowed like stars. At first glance, it seemed a place of peace and wonder. When all the lights were turned high, however, and the advisors gathers, this was the War Room. The place where death was planned.
A fitting place to die, she thought.
She drew the dagger in the shadows of the entryway, held it carefully behind her back as if just clasping her hands.
“Senna.”
She stilled. Turned slowly at the sound of her name to note a figure half in shadow.
Her name was a curse in many places. Senna the Destroyer. She was the reaper who brought their plans to fruition. Thousands had fallen to the storms she sang into being, lives snapping out of existence in an instant.
All at the command of the man who now waited for her to approach.
“Lioduse.” She breathed his name softly, the way she had when it had been a caress on her lips and not blasphemy.
Only half his face was lit in that eerie blue, but she thought she saw his expression soften. “Come,” he beckoned.
She took a step forward, hand clenching around the hidden hilt. She had planned every moment of this. She would slit his throat in one quick strike. That way he could not call for the guards, and he would die quickly. She would leave his body here, in the shadows, then collect the children, and force her way out of this wretched place before anyone even knew their master was dead.
She was ready for this. It was the only way. She was mid-step when there was a shuffle of movement behind her.
“Am I interrupting something?”
Senna froze. If there was one thing that scared her more than Lioduse, it was Larken. Half-brothers, they had built this empire up around her, and though to all and sundry it was clear Lioduse ran the show, she knew otherwise. Larken had all the power Lio did—but he was clever enough to rule from the shadows.
And now he was in the shadows behind her—with a clear view of the dagger at her back.
“Forgive me. I should’ve knocked.” His tone was wry, and she knew that he’d seen.
This will be my death. She would be dead by morning, her head on a pike outside the tower. Lioduse would probably take the children to see, too. Sorrow stabbed at her stomach. She could still try for Lio’s neck, but Larken was quick for a man that avoided battlefields.
She should have known she would not succeed.
Lioduse waved his brother in. “Come. There are things we need to discuss anyway.”
“As you say,” Larken returned. “But…tell me, dear sister…what is that you have there?”
She could feel him hovering behind her. She imagined his amused smile, and the thought of losing to him, leaving her children to their mercy, twisted something inside of her. She cast a glaze of cool disinterest over her eyes, pulling the weapon slowly in front of her.
“I found this in the hall. Do you think one of the guards dropped it?”
Lioduse moved over and snatched it from her hands, tilting it for his examination. As she’d plucked it off a guard to begin with, it was exactly the type of weapon they would use.
“Must be,” Lioduse frowned.
“How…careless,” Larken purred behind her.
“An utter disgrace. I’ll tell the Commander to kill the man who’s missing a blade.” Lioduse tucked the dagger, and all her hopes of escape, away.
So, another death was on her hands, but it wasn’t Lioduse's.
“But back to business, Brother. I have some concerns about this territory.” Lioduse called Larken over to the map. All violet eyes and dark smiles, he brushed against her as he moved past.
A shiver ran up her spine.
“Cease your worries, Lio,” Larken said amicably. “We are the Triad.” He glanced up at Senna, limned in midnight blue. “And we are invincible.”
We own you, read the look in his eyes.
Of course he knew what she’d intended.
And he would never allow her to forget it.
Invincible.

* * *

Larken, Senna, and Lioduse--otherwise known as the Triad. Between Larken's cunning, Senna's vast mage skills, and Lioduse's command prowess, they will bring the world of Altia to its knees.

Every good story needs some good villains.

Lighning brushes by ~Adaae-stock

Characters and story belong to me. Don't steal!

Description
One more death among thousands was nothing.
She tightened her grip on the leather-wrapped hilt, warm from being held while her agile mind tripped over every possibility. Her nerves unraveled like a startled hare, but her face was a smooth mask. She had taught herself to hold that mask through anything over the years. Betray no emotion. She could not afford otherwise.
She secured the dagger in one of the sleeves that hid her fading bruises. The soft folds of fabric held the cool blade pressed to her skin.
She took a steadying breath, then pushed through her chamber door. The halls were dark and silent. Well-guarded. She knew exactly how many guards she must pass to reach the Chamber of Stars. Counted them in her head the way she used to count steps to calm herself. A child’s trick. She’d taught it to David, but Nevit didn’t have the patience for it. He only wanted to argue and strike things like his father. His twin, Nelanna, just watched her, deep blue eyes dripping with something akin to sympathy, as if a girl of four could understand the desperation of their situation.
She swallowed. It would be difficult to get the children out safely. But they were the reason she was taking this action.
Two more doors. And then she was standing before the entrance to the Chamber of Stars, where he was waiting.
She did not pause at the door. That would betray her hesitation to the guards, and no one could suspect anything was amiss.
Inside, everything was bathed in a soft blue light emanating from the magic-lit world map in the center of the room. The ceiling of the round room held enchanted paint that glowed like stars. At first glance, it seemed a place of peace and wonder. When all the lights were turned high, however, and the advisors gathers, this was the War Room. The place where death was planned.
A fitting place to die, she thought.
She drew the dagger in the shadows of the entryway, held it carefully behind her back as if just clasping her hands.
“Senna.”
She stilled. Turned slowly at the sound of her name to note a figure half in shadow.
Her name was a curse in many places. Senna the Destroyer. She was the reaper who brought their plans to fruition. Thousands had fallen to the storms she sang into being, lives snapping out of existence in an instant.
All at the command of the man who now waited for her to approach.
“Lioduse.” She breathed his name softly, the way she had when it had been a caress on her lips and not blasphemy.
Only half his face was lit in that eerie blue, but she thought she saw his expression soften. “Come,” he beckoned.
She took a step forward, hand clenching around the hidden hilt. She had planned every moment of this. She would slit his throat in one quick strike. That way he could not call for the guards, and he would die quickly. She would leave his body here, in the shadows, then collect the children, and force her way out of this wretched place before anyone even knew their master was dead.
She was ready for this. It was the only way. She was mid-step when there was a shuffle of movement behind her.
“Am I interrupting something?”
Senna froze. If there was one thing that scared her more than Lioduse, it was Larken. Half-brothers, they had built this empire up around her, and though to all and sundry it was clear Lioduse ran the show, she knew otherwise. Larken had all the power Lio did—but he was clever enough to rule from the shadows.
And now he was in the shadows behind her—with a clear view of the dagger at her back.
“Forgive me. I should’ve knocked.” His tone was wry, and she knew that he’d seen.
This will be my death. She would be dead by morning, her head on a pike outside the tower. Lioduse would probably take the children to see, too. Sorrow stabbed at her stomach. She could still try for Lio’s neck, but Larken was quick for a man that avoided battlefields.
She should have known she would not succeed.
Lioduse waved his brother in. “Come. There are things we need to discuss anyway.”
“As you say,” Larken returned. “But…tell me, dear sister…what is that you have there?”
She could feel him hovering behind her. She imagined his amused smile, and the thought of losing to him, leaving her children to their mercy, twisted something inside of her. She cast a glaze of cool disinterest over her eyes, pulling the weapon slowly in front of her.
“I found this in the hall. Do you think one of the guards dropped it?”
Lioduse moved over and snatched it from her hands, tilting it for his examination. As she’d plucked it off a guard to begin with, it was exactly the type of weapon they would use.
“Must be,” Lioduse frowned.
“How…careless,” Larken purred behind her.
“An utter disgrace. I’ll tell the Commander to kill the man who’s missing a blade.” Lioduse tucked the dagger, and all her hopes of escape, away.
So, another death was on her hands, but it wasn’t Lioduse's.
“But back to business, Brother. I have some concerns about this territory.” Lioduse called Larken over to the map. All violet eyes and dark smiles, he brushed against her as he moved past.
A shiver ran up her spine.
“Cease your worries, Lio,” Larken said amicably. “We are the Triad.” He glanced up at Senna, limned in midnight blue. “And we are invincible.”
We own you, read the look in his eyes.
Of course he knew what she’d intended.
And he would never allow her to forget it.
Invincible.

* * *

Larken, Senna, and Lioduse--otherwise known as the Triad. Between Larken's cunning, Senna's vast mage skills, and Lioduse's command prowess, they will bring the world of Altia to its knees.

Every good story needs some good villains.

Lighning brushes by ~Adaae-stock

Characters and story belong to me. Don't steal!