One week had passed since Tyra l'Amell had her prize—a dark elf priestess and her dead companion—herded into a small cell and carefully locked behind the heavy wooden door reinforced with iron bands.Daiya didn't think about escaping; the castle was filled with guards, and besides..and besides—angering Lord Nannéus, master of the house, would've done her no good. Especially considering that this very Nannéus controlled almost the entire bounty hunter network of the Shadowed Lands.So she used the time to rest from the hardships of recent weeks and to pray to Sylun.
She also spent considerable thought on what she would say to Lord Nannéus to draw the attention of the lord's necromancer guest—without risking Milo being dissected.
Then finally, on one especially cloudy morning a rough-handed guard yanked open the heavy door of the cell and barked an order. "You're to come with me. The Lord Nannéus wishes to see you."
Daiya cast a quick glance at Milo, whose pale face remained as impassive as ever. They followed the guard down narrow, torch-lit corridors until they reached the dungeon's entrance, and then followed him through the busy halls.
They drew a few curious looks, but most people minded their own business.
In a while, they got led to a medium sized study, nothing like the grand throne rooms she had imagined. The walls were lined with shelves of dusty tomes and geographical maps, the air thick with the scent of freshly brewn tea.
Inside, a tall figure sat by a window, staring out into the cliffs below. His posture was calm but commanding. Six other richly dressed old men sat with him—likely nobles of the castle, adorned with ornamental sashes and brooches. An unofficial council meeting of the self-proclaimed king of the mountains.
The only guest who stood out was a much younger man with a pale, thoughtful face. This youngster, barely an adult, was the only one who immediately turned his head towards the door when Daiya and Milo entered. He was also the one dressed most simply, though his leather boots were clearly of high quality, and the hems of his white shirt featured subtle but intricate embroidery.
As the guard led them inside, Daiya caught bits of the ongoing conversation — the man by the window, likely Lord Nannéus, was speaking thoughtfully about the Möllnar fortress, considering the price of reclaiming its abandoned lands.
They slowly approached the center of the room and halted at a respectful distance from the table as the lord's gaze finally settled on Daiya. "So, you're the intriguing witness Tyra spoke of," he said, his voice low and even. "She suggested it might be a shame to hand you back to the Onyx Valley dark elves, despite your… alleged crimes."
Daiya lifted her chin, meeting his gaze without flinching. This was her chance to plead for both their lives. She silently hoped the much-mentioned necromancer was present in the room.
"Indeed," she answered. "First of all, I am not guilty, your lordship. When they say I stole from my father, I am the possession they speak of."
The lord regarded her thoughtfully, as if weighing the truth in her words.
"Alright then. As such, he would be right—it is a father's right to decide his daughter's fate. But I understand you have first-hand information about Fort Möllnar that might make the good gentlemen here a bit more... lenient."
That was a bad sign. So, by their reckoning, escaping was considered stealing? No doubt the sheer amount of onyx essence they'd gain from handing her over would make anyone accept such a twisted moral logic.
Daiya had to trust Tyra's advice.
"Yes, your lordship," she said. "I was present in Lord Möllnar's fortress when his death occurred. My friend and I were working on rebuilding the walls…"
Lord Nannéus fixed her with a sharp gaze."You say you were at Fort Möllnar when the lord died. Tyra relayed your story, but she suspects you're holding back. What really happened there, girl?"
Daiya's throat tightened. She chose her words carefully."It was chaos... I don't remember all of it clearly."
His eyes narrowed."You expect me to accept that? Tyra thinks you're hiding something important."
Daiya met his gaze steadily, voice steady but cautious."There are things I can't fully explain. Milo… he's not entirely alive. So when that monster tried to eat him I...I guess Sylun intervened. And I really don't remember how they ended up dead. There was a bright light and it...it just happened."
Lord Nannéus regarded her silently for a moment."Divine intervention. Interesting. But even more interesting is the claim that the boy is not alive. I can clearly see him stand beside you right now, with my own two eyes. He looks pretty alive to me."
Daiya allowed herself a small, almost imperceptible nod of relief. At least he wasn't dismissing Milo outright or probing about her powers. She lowered her voice, careful with her next words.
"Milo… he's… different now. Not quite alive, but not truly dead either. I won't pretend to fully understand it myself. Some... powers touched him. Powers I don't speak of lightly. It happened while we...ran. He got killed by our pursuers. But then I prayed and now he is...back."
She glanced subtly around the room, hoping to catch sight of the necromancer, the one Tyra hinted might be here. What were the chances of the lord inviting his guest to such a meeting?
"There are forces beyond ordinary life and death at play. I don't plan to hide the truth from you my lord… I believe this is part of something greater. If you send us back the god might never get what he desires."
Nannéus contemplated for a second. Then he spoke:
"Prayers and powers beyond life and death... curious indeed. This is no small claim you make, girl. And what makes you think this 'god' you speak of has a desire worth pursuing?"
Daiya took a slow breath, steadying herself.
"I... I believe there's a plan, something tied to the god Sylun. Milo's return isn't a coincidence. It's like a thread in a larger tapestry—one I don't fully understand yet."
Lord Nannéus turned his gaze toward Milo, scrutinizing him. He seemed to be searching for any sign of death in Milo's complexion. But in this case, that wasn't so easy to determine. If not for Milo's unnatural stillness, Nannéus might have dismissed the whole story as a lie. Instead, he said:
"The god Sylun, you say, murdering his own follower to keep this boy...intact. Intriguing. As it happens, I have here my young friend Aurel, who is somewhat of an expert in such matters. His friendship is worth more to me than a bucket of some toxic herb. Would you care to share your thoughts, my dear Aurel?"
The youth sitting by the table looked as if he'd been waiting ages to be prompted to speak, ever so excitedly twitching in his seat. Daiya never would have guessed someone so young could be a necromancer—but he was clearly the one that lord Nannéus addressed.
So his name was Aurel. It made sense now; he didn't look nearly as wealthy as the others at the table, and since their arrival, he had been watching them with obvious curiosity. Now, with unmistakable confidence and barely hidden enthusiasm, he began to speak:
"As a matter of fact, the boy is very dead, my lord, in the most endearing of ways. I have never seen anything like this before. I request you consider the girl's wish to keep them at the castle for a while. I would love the opportunity to study him more closely."
Lord Nannéus laughed, and the tension seemed to melt from his face.
"Who am I to deny your wishes? Your enthusiasm reminds me of my younger days. So be it. I will assign a room to our... guests. Of course, only after you've had a quick look to assure me that the... boy... is not dangerous."
He turned back to Daiya then.
"If you agree, of course, young miss."
His eyes were laughing, but it was clearly not a question. The lord had already decided to entertain his friend.
It was a risky plan, but Daiya couldn't conjure up a better one just yet.
"Of course, my lord."
She bowed her head respectfully. They might have planned to send her back without Milo anyway- But soon, they would discover that was never an option.