Chapter 602: Any bad news?
"Ah. This is horrible."
Elion’s voice echoed from deep inside the passage with an excitement that did not match the sentence.
Kael closed his eyes for a second.
"She sounds happy."
Sylphie, seated beside him, was still holding his hand.
"She sounds like your mother."
"That explains it, but it does not help."
Amelia stood up, notebook open again. Irelia was near her, watching both sides of the corridor. Umbra remained leaning against the wall, but her attention was somewhere else. Her own shadow seemed denser, as if something inside it were moving slowly.
Kael looked at Umbra.
"Any bad news?"
"Yes."
"I should stop asking."
"You should."
She turned her face toward the cellar.
"The second shadow stopped."
Amelia raised her head.
"Stopped where?"
"Near the lower cellars."
Irelia frowned.
"Is that good or bad?"
Umbra stayed quiet for a second.
"Bad."
Kael began to stand.
Sylphie pulled him back by the wrist.
"Seated."
"Umbra just said bad."
"She always says bad things."
"But this time it is actually bad."
Umbra looked at them.
"It is coming here."
Kael pointed at Umbra, looking at Sylphie.
"See?"
Sylphie did not let go of his hand.
"Eleonor told you to stay seated."
"Eleonor did not know a parasitic shadow was going to come knocking at the door."
"She probably imagined it."
Amelia flipped through the notebook far too quickly.
"We do not have a containment ready."
"We have improvisation," Kael said.
Irelia looked at him.
"That sentence always precedes structural damage."
"Not always."
Sylphie looked at him.
"Almost always."
From the depths of the hidden passage, Eleonor appeared again before Kael could answer. She walked out calmly, but her expression said she had found too many unpleasant things in too little time. Liza came behind her, far too serious. Elion followed the two of them with a small instrument in hand, and Yggdrasil came last, grumbling.
Eleonor looked at Kael.
"Why are you halfway standing?"
"Because the second shadow is coming."
Eleonor looked at Umbra.
Umbra nodded.
"It is using the cracks in the wall. Not a body."
Yggdrasil made a face.
"Great. Now even the walls are gossips."
Liza immediately turned to Violet, who was a few steps behind.
"Evacuate this corridor."
Violet left without needing another order.
Kael stood completely.
Eleonor looked at him.
"I said seated."
"And I obeyed for almost four minutes."
"Impressive."
"Thank you."
"That was not praise."
The corridor wall cracked.
It did not break. It only cracked. A dark line began moving between the stones, like an oil stain searching for a way out. The palace’s red runes glowed in response, but the thing passed between them without difficulty, as if it knew the gaps.
Amelia closed the notebook.
"It knows how to bypass the security."
Liza did not like hearing that.
"Because it probably helped create part of it."
Kael looked at the stain.
"Does anyone have a better idea than hitting it?"
Elion raised her hand.
"I have three."
Eleonor said:
"All refused for now."
"You have not even heard them."
"Exactly."
The shadow came out of the wall.
It had no human shape at first. It was only a dark, thin piece with red veins. Then it began to rise, trying to assemble a body. Shoulders, arms, head. The face did not appear. Only that smooth, irritating space.
Umbra took a step forward.
"This one is smaller."
Kael looked at her.
"Is smaller better?"
"Not necessarily."
"Of course not."
The shadow turned to Liza.
Then to Kael.
Then to the corridor behind them.
Sylphie noticed first.
"Someone is coming."
Kael looked back.
Elizabeth appeared at the end of the corridor with two guards. She was in a hurry, holding the skirt of her dress so she could walk faster. Her face was pale, and her red eyes searched for her mother as soon as she came close.
"Mother, what is happening? They closed half the palace and no one answers me."
Liza hardened.
"Elizabeth, go back now."
The shadow changed.
It was fast.
It did not advance against Liza. It did not go for Kael. It went straight for Elizabeth.
Kael moved before thinking.
The new technique was still not ready. He knew that. His body knew it too, and complained the same instant he forced the impulse. Scarlet mana descended through his center, found his legs, exploded controlled enough not to throw him to the floor, but too strong not to hurt.
He appeared between Elizabeth and the shadow.
Not beautifully.
Not cleanly.
But in time.
The shadow struck his marked arm.
The mark answered.
Kael felt a sharp pain climb to his shoulder, as if someone were pushing hot needles into his veins. He gritted his teeth and grabbed the shadow by the "neck," or the place where a neck should have been.
"No."
The thing tried to spread through his arm.
Sylphie shouted:
"Kael!"
"I know!"
"Then let go!"
"If I let go, it jumps on the princess."
Elizabeth stood motionless behind him, too frightened to speak. Irelia reached her and pulled the girl back, placing herself between the princess and the shadow. Amelia activated a defensive crystal, forming a short barrier around them.
Liza appeared beside Kael the next second, but Eleonor held her shoulder.
"Do not touch it."
"It attacked my daughter."
"And it wants you to react with blood."
Liza stopped, trembling with rage.
Umbra advanced. Her shadow opened on the floor, but the green film Sylphie had placed around the fragment inside her glowed, holding back some internal reaction.
Umbra made a face.
"This gets in the way."
Yggdrasil replied:
"That was the idea."
"I do not like it."
"I did not ask."
Kael was holding the shadow with both hands now. The mark on his arm pulsed harder. The thing did not speak with a complete voice, but it whispered inside.
Crown.
Blood.
Heiress.
New mouth.
Kael squeezed tighter.
"You people repeat the same words too much."
Elion approached far too quickly, with a thin instrument in her hand.
Eleonor looked at her.
"Elion."
"I am only going to pin the edge."
"No cutting."
"I know."
"No collecting a sample."
Elion paused briefly.
"Now?"
"Elion."
"Right. No collecting a sample now."
She touched the instrument near the shadow, without touching Kael. A purple arc appeared, pinning the creature like a needle holding fabric. The shadow tried to retreat, but Umbra stepped on it.
Literally.
Umbra’s foot sank into the darkness, and the creature froze.
Sylphie ran to Kael and placed her hand over the mark. Her green light entered his arm like a cold layer.
Kael let out his breath.
"Better."
"You are forbidden from saying you are fine."
"I was going to say I am reasonable."
"Also forbidden."
Eleonor raised her hand. Purple threads left her fingers and wrapped around the shadow, tightening without destroying it.
"Hold it for three more seconds."
Kael looked at her.
"Only that?"
"Four now, because you complained."
"That is unfair."
"Three."
The shadow tried to change shape, but Umbra pulled a piece of it downward. Sylphie held the part trying to enter Kael. Elion pinned another edge with another purple arc. Eleonor closed her hand.
The shadow shrank.
It became a dark knot the size of an apple, with red veins moving inside.
Eleonor stored it in a small containment sphere that Elion tossed to her at the last moment.
Kael released the creature and took a step back.
His knee almost failed.
Sylphie caught him.
"Bench."
"No."
"Bench."
"I just saved the princess."
"And now you are going to sit."
Elizabeth finally seemed to breathe again.
"Kael..."
He looked at her.
"Are you all right?"
She nodded, although she clearly was not.
"Yes."
Liza went to her daughter and held her face with both hands.
"I told you to stay away from this wing."
"You did not tell me anything. You had guards stall me."
"Because I wanted you alive."
Elizabeth swallowed dryly and looked at the sphere in Eleonor’s hand.
"Was that thing going to enter me?"
No one answered immediately.
Kael answered, because sometimes silence was worse.
"It was going to try."
Elizabeth closed her eyes.
Liza pulled her daughter to herself. It was not a long hug. It was quick, tight, and almost hard. But it was a hug. Elizabeth held her mother back, her fingers trembling against the dark dress.
Kael sat on the bench before Sylphie could push him.
"There. I am seated. Happy?"
"No," Sylphie said.
"Honest."
She held his arm and examined the mark. It was darker now, but it was not advancing beyond the elbow. The green barrier still held.
Eleonor approached.
"You used the new technique."
Kael looked at her.
"How do you know?"
"Because you have the face of someone who did something idiotic and efficient."
Yggdrasil looked at the cracked floor.
"And because you left a mark on the floor."
Kael followed her gaze. There was a short crack in the corridor, right at the point where he had started.
"It was small."
Liza, still with Elizabeth beside her, looked at the floor.
"It was better than before."
Kael pointed at her.
"Thank you."
"But still slow."
He closed his eyes.
"I saved your daughter."
"And I recognize that. I also recognize it was still slow."
Elizabeth, still pale, let out a weak laugh.
That broke some of the tension.
Liza looked at her, surprised. Elizabeth took a deep breath and wiped her face, trying to regain her posture.
"Sorry."
Kael shook his head.
"Do not apologize for laughing. It was one of the few normal reactions today."
Amelia approached the containment sphere, keeping her distance.
"This shadow did not come from the cellar by chance."
Elion raised the sphere against the light.
"No. It was carrying an instruction."
Eleonor looked at her.
"You already analyzed it?"
"Superficially."
"Without opening it."
"I know."
Kael looked at his mother.
"You sound offended that you cannot open a parasitic shadow ball in the corridor."
"I am."
"At least you are sincere."
Elion slowly turned the sphere.
"It changed targets when it sensed Elizabeth. That means young royal blood is more useful to it than Liza is now."
Liza went completely still.
The corridor’s temperature seemed to drop.
Elizabeth looked at her mother.
"Mother."
Liza spoke without taking her eyes off the sphere:
"Violet."
The commander reappeared almost immediately.
"Your Majesty."
"The princess will be under double guard. No one approaches her without authorization from me, Eleonor, or Kael."
Elizabeth opened her mouth.
"I am not a child."
Liza turned to her.
"Today, for security purposes, you are."
Elizabeth stared at her mother.
Kael murmured:
"Good luck with that sentence."
Sylphie tightened her grip on his arm.
"Not helping."
"I know. But it is true."
Elizabeth took a deep breath and looked at Kael.
"I want to know what is happening."
Liza began:
"Elizabeth..."
"No." The princess spoke more firmly. "That thing tried to use me. My father is imprisoned for something connected to this. My mother was almost controlled by it. I want to know."
The corridor went quiet again.
Liza seemed ready to refuse.
Eleonor spoke first:
"She is right."
Liza looked at the Queen of Witches.
Eleonor continued:
"I am not saying she should enter danger. But hiding the basics from her only makes her more vulnerable. If the shadow sought Elizabeth, she needs to know what to avoid."
Kael nodded.
"I agree."
Liza was irritated by that, but did not answer immediately.
Elizabeth took advantage.
"I am not going down into forbidden chambers. I am not an idiot."
Kael looked at her.
"That sentence is dangerous. Usually people say that right before doing something idiotic."
Elizabeth stared at him.
"Are you an expert?"
"Unfortunately."
Irelia crossed her arms.
"We can establish a controlled summary."
Amelia was already writing.
"No ritual details. No exact location. No removed names until confirmation. But with information about parasitic shadows, royal blood risk, and prohibition of isolation."
Elizabeth looked at Amelia.
"Prohibition of isolation?"
"Yes. You do not stay alone."
Elizabeth sighed.
"Wonderful."
Kael pointed at her.
"Welcome to the club."
Sylphie said:
"You do not follow that rule."
"I am trying to improve."
Amelia murmured:
"Debatable."
Eleonor looked at everyone.
"Focus."
The word worked.
Elion handed the sphere to Eleonor.
"We have two options. Either we pursue the third shadow now, before it realizes the others were captured, or we use this one to block communication and force the third to remain quiet."
Umbra looked at the sphere.
"If you block it badly, it runs."
Yggdrasil agreed.
"If you pursue it badly, it warns the source."
Kael took a deep breath.
"Then we do it properly."
Everyone looked at him.
He raised both hands.
"Seated. I meant you."
Sylphie seemed satisfied.
"Good correction."
Eleonor looked at Kael for another instant, then at Umbra.
"Can you feel the third without approaching?"
Umbra looked at the shadow on the floor.
"Yes. But I need silence."
Kael shut his mouth before anyone ordered him to.
Umbra knelt, placed her hand on the floor, and closed her eyes. Her shadow spread slowly, thin like dark water. It did not pass through the green barrier Sylphie had placed, but went around it.
For a few seconds, no one spoke.
Even Elion stayed quiet.
Umbra opened her eyes.
"It is in Cassian’s delegation. But not in him."
Liza narrowed her eyes.
"In whom?"
Umbra looked at Elizabeth, then at Liza.
"In the woman."
Irelia remembered immediately.
"The representative who got tense when Violet looked at her."
Amelia turned the page.
"House?"
"They did not say," Irelia replied. "Cassian did not introduce her."
Liza looked at Violet.
"Bring me her name."
Violet nodded and left.
Eleonor looked at Liza.
"Do not move the delegation yet."
"They are already isolated."
"Good. Keep it that way."
Kael leaned his head against the wall.
"So the woman was the real leak point."
Amelia nodded.
"Cassian was the megaphone."
Elizabeth became serious.
"And she tried to reach me?"
"Probably not her," Kael said. "The thing in her."
Liza looked at her daughter.
"That is why you will have guards."
Elizabeth did not like it, but this time she did not argue.
Kael watched that and sighed.
"We are learning. How beautiful."
Sylphie looked at him.
"You are included in that."
"I was talking about the others."
"Of course you were."
The mark on Kael’s arm itched again.
He locked his expression, but Sylphie noticed.
"Hurting?"
"Itching."
Yggdrasil looked at him.
"Do not poke it."
"How old am I, five?"
"Right now? Yes."
Umbra stood.
"The third shadow is quiet. For now."
Eleonor nodded.
"Then we will extract it carefully."
Elion smiled.
"Finally."
Eleonor looked at her.
"Carefully."
The smile diminished.
"Yes."
Liza took a deep breath and released it slowly.
"Then let us go to my guest."
Kael began to stand.
Five stares fell on him at the same time.
He stopped.
"I was only going to ask if I could go."
Sylphie smiled.
"No."
Eleonor answered:
"No."
Liza added:
"No."
Umbra said:
"No."
Amelia did not even raise her eyes.
"Recorded: no."
Kael stood still for a second.
Then sat again.
"I hate democratic meetings."
Irelia smiled.
"It was not democratic. It was unanimity against you."
"Even worse."
Elizabeth, despite the fright, ended up smiling faintly.
Kael pointed at her.
"Do not get used to it. Soon they will do this to you too."
She looked at her mother.
"They already do."
Liza pretended not to hear.
Eleonor, Liza, Elion, Yggdrasil, Umbra, and Violet continued down the corridor toward the wing where the delegation was isolated.
Kael remained seated with Sylphie, Irelia, Amelia, and Elizabeth.
For a few seconds, no one spoke.
Then Kael looked at the vampire princess.
"So. Normal day in the palace?"
Elizabeth let out a short, tired laugh.
"Lately? Almost."
Kael looked at the mark on his arm.
"Great. I thought only my life was like this."
Sylphie held his hand again.
"Unfortunately, you are spreading it."
Amelia wrote something.
Kael closed his eyes.
"I am going to pretend I did not see that."
Irelia watched the corridor where the others had gone.
"If this goes wrong, you are going to stand, are you not?"
Kael opened his eyes.
"Yes."
Sylphie sighed.
"I know."
Elizabeth looked at him.
"Even with the mark?"
Kael looked at her as if the answer were obvious.
"Especially with the mark."
Amelia stopped writing for a second.
"That is exactly the kind of sentence that is going into the Order for Preservation of Kael report."
Kael slowly turned to her.
"I am going to burn that report."
"I have mental copies."
"Treason."
Sylphie smiled, but her fingers remained firm around his hand.
Deep in the corridor, a wave of purple mana passed through the wall.
Then came Elion’s voice, far too excited:
"It tried to bite the circle."
Kael looked at the ceiling.
"Of course it did."
Eleonor’s voice came right after, firm:
"Kael, remain seated."
He took a deep breath.
"I did not even do anything."
Sylphie rested her head against his shoulder.
"Yet."
Kael looked at the corridor, at his own mark, and at the frightened princess trying to pretend she was steady.
"Yes," he murmured. "Yet."