Kypho went to the counter where he paid for the room and then went outside for his horse. The owner was pretty surprised to see him but he didn't say anything. He was interested in the double money he had charged for his pathetic accommodation.
The horse looked well rested. Kypho took him out and then mounted him. He patted his horse. "Come on. We have to go fast!"
He reached the gates of the capital in an hour. However, he noticed that there was a large line of those who wanted to enter. There were vendors on the outside who were selling their goods to those standing in the line. There was one more line through which some people entered and he knew that it was for the nobles.
Some people were turning back, cursing the guards for such hefty measures to get inside. Whores were standing with newborn babies, accepting coins for a short fuck and earn money. People were conning others into buying their 'genuine' talismans.
Through all these, Kypho could not find his contact. He gritted his teeth as he dismounted and then guided his horse to a secluded corner.
---
Menkar was extremely restless. It had been weeks since he had last heard from Lusitania. The girl had stopped communicating with him, but he had his spies who kept a watch on her. However, his most trusted spy, Kypho, was lacking in his duties. Menkar knew that he was getting older and was fed up chasing Lusitania. Well, it was time to change him. He sent him on the errand of finding Lusitania while he replaced him over here.
When he woke up in the morning, he got up to look at his reflection in the mirror. Over the last five centuries, he had managed to stay like this. However, now his need for the potion to maintain his features was becoming aggressive. His body demanded more potion. He let out a rough exhale. Once his purpose was over, he was going to stop using those potions.
A loud knock on the door snapped him out of his reverie. "Who is it?" he shouted angrily as he walked to the door.
The guard opened it slightly and gave him a rolled scroll. "The messenger just dropped in for you."
Menkar's brows knitted. The scroll was wrapped in a blue ribbon, which meant that a crow had delivered it and it was from the kingdom of Draka. Hurriedly, he opened the scroll and placed it on his table. Nothing was written on it. He lit a candle and ran the scroll's surface over it. The letters started appearing. He wore his glasses and when he read the message, his eyes widened in surprise.
"Princess Lusitania is declared as the queen of the Draka Kingdom. She is the true mate of King Eltanin and true heir of Pegasii Kingdom. Her fae heritage is evident in her wings that have finally sprouted. She is with her husband, King Eltanin and also with her family from Vilinski. Prince Ileus and Princess Anastasia of Draoidh are also visiting. Lady Kinshra is also here."
With a roar, Menkar threw everything down from the table. Her wings have sprouted back. How? When he had bought her, he had used the darkest of magic to bind the wings and hide them forever. Then how did they come out? He grabbed the soul stone on his neck and brought it to his eye level. It pulsated inside as a white light flickered and then settled. "Tania, I am coming to you," he growled. "I will make you pay. You said you would be my spy. Now is the time to show your colors to me!"
He began pacing the room, murmuring curses. How was it possible that his magic broke? He was the most powerful priest who had this magic in him. He had read all the dark magic arcana to lock the fae wings. He had killed a fae long back handle the magic in his body. Not only that, he was drinking Tania's blood which he would extract in small vials every month without her knowing about it. It was so potent that he would never feel the weight of the dark magic in his body. Over the last few months, he had had so much that he didn't feel the need for it, but now-- now he needed it. Badly. Desperately. It was his dirty little secret.
He took the scroll to the candle that was still burning on his table. He fed the scroll to it and watched it burn. "This is how your soul will also burn Tania!" he said, breathing heavily.
---
It was almost afternoon and his contact hadn't come so far. Kypho was getting impatient. He gritted his teeth and decided to wait for an hour more before returning to the inn. At the end of the hour, he mounted the horse and turned back. It was no use staying there and getting picked up by a random guard. He saw many guards who were combing the people generally.
He must have traveled for fifteen minutes when he heard heavy clops of hooves behind him.
"Master!" Platt hollered him.
Kypho brought his horse to a stop, as relief washed over him. "Why are you so late?" he growled.
"I am sorry, Master," Platt said as he brought his horse near him. "The whole process of stealing the metal chip and then putting your name on it took a lot of time!"
"Is it done?"
"Yes!" Platt replied. "Now you can easily enter the capital." He dug his pocket and gave the metal card to him. "I am going, but I suggest that you come back now and stand in the line. As soon as you enter the capital, you can come to the main market. I will be there waiting for you."
"And what about Nora?" He hadn't had a good fuck in long.
Platt chuckled. "She would be there too. Waiting for both of us!"