{Zephyra}
The evening light filtered through the curtains against the windows of Zephyra’s study, painting the room in soft purples and blues that matched her amethyst eyes.
She sat at her ornate desk, engaged in what had to be the most intense staring contest of her life.
The lizard sat on a stack of spellbooks, its beady eyes fixed on hers with unsettling intelligence. For something that had been dead just hours ago, it seemed remarkably...
Sassy.
[I am the Court Sorceress of Syux,] she thought, refusing to break eye contact with the tiny creature. [Master of arcane arts, advisor to the king, youngest woman ever to hold this position. I will NOT be intimidated by a formerly dead reptile.]
The lizard’s tongue flicked out.
"Don’t you sass me," Zephyra muttered, tucking a strand of raven hair behind her ear. "I’ve forgotten more magic than you’ll ever know."
The lizard tilted its head, somehow managing to look judgmental.
Its scales caught the evening light, glinting with an almost magical shimmer - probably a side effect of Melisa’s spell.
Finally, Zephyra sighed.
"Gods, I need sleep. Or wine. Or both."
The lizard scampered closer, leaving tiny footprints in her research notes.
"Those are important documents, you know," she told it, trying to maintain some dignity. "Ancient magical theorems, groundbreaking spellwork..." She trailed off as the lizard placed another foot on her carefully drawn diagrams. "You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?"
A knock at the door interrupted their battle of wills.
Zephyra straightened up, hastily arranging her elaborate purple and silver robes into something more befitting her station. The lizard, the little traitor, just sat there looking smug.
[At least no one saw me arguing with a resurrected reptile,] she thought, smoothing her hair. [My reputation would never recover.]
"Enter," she called, trying to summon back her usual air of mystical authority.
The woman who stepped through her door was striking in a way that commanded immediate attention. Short, emerald hair cascaded down her back in perfectly arranged waves, and her eyes - Zephyra felt a chill run down her spine - were the exact same shade of violet as her own. She wore a dress in deep burgundy that probably cost more than most noble families made in a year. And beneath that dress, Zephyra could tell that some fairly strong muscles were hiding just out of sight.
"Lady Vortell," the woman smiled with perfect politeness, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. "I am Lady Belstadt, a consultant for His Majesty. Remember me?" Your journey continues on freewebnovel
"How could I not?"
"Good, good. I hope I’m not interrupting anything... important." Her gaze flicked to the lizard, amusement dancing in those unsettlingly familiar eyes.
Despite what she said, Zephyra couldn’t help but think to herself:
[Consultant? How many of those does the king need? Feels like all I see nowadays at the palace are consultants.]
"Not at all," Zephyra gestured to one of the plush chairs before her desk, noting how the woman’s eyes methodically scanned every inch of the room - lingering on the spellbooks, the magical artifacts, and especially the diagrams of Melisa’s spell. "Please, be seated. How may I assist you?"
Lady Belstadt settled into the chair with no small amount of grace, arranging her skirt in a way that somehow managed to look both casual and calculated.
"I must say," she began, her smile never wavering, "your reputation doesn’t do you justice. The stories of your achievements reached me even in Rhaya. The way you’ve... modernized the Court Sorceress position is quite remarkable."
"Thank you," Zephyra replied carefully, watching how Belstadt’s eyes kept darting to her research notes. "Though I suspect you didn’t travel from Rhaya to discuss my administrative reforms."
"Direct! How refreshing." Belstadt’s smile sharpened slightly, revealing perfect white teeth. "Most in the court would dance around the subject for at least another hour. Very well - I’d like to discuss Miss Blackflame."
[Of course you would.]
"What about her?"
"There are... concerns about her recent activities." Belstadt’s voice dropped lower, taking on an almost conspiratorial tone. "Particularly regarding the late queen’s passing. Such a tragedy, wasn’t it? So sudden, so... unexpected."
Zephyra’s hand tightened on her desk, her rings clicking against the polished wood.
[Careful,] she warned herself. [If the queen’s death wasn’t suicide, there are only three real suspects - the king, myself, or Melisa. And this woman is fishing for something.]
"Miss Blackflame had nothing to do with Queen Melara’s death," Zephyra said firmly, meeting Belstadt’s violet gaze. "I can personally vouch for that."
"You seem very certain." Belstadt leaned forward slightly, her emerald hair catching the dying sunlight. "Even though the circumstances were so mysterious? Even with her... unique talents?"
"I am certain," Zephyra’s voice could have frozen hellfire. "She was with me most of that day, working on spell theory. Her magical abilities, while unusual, are being properly monitored and guided."
"Interesting," Belstadt murmured, her eyes gleaming with something that made Zephyra’s magical senses tingle. "Then perhaps she’s involved in a different matter. The king’s... condition?"
Zephyra’s eyes narrowed, her fingers itching to draw a defensive spellsign.
"What exactly do you know about His Majesty’s condition?"
"Only that it’s worsening." Belstadt stood in one fluid motion, smoothing her already perfect skirts. "But I’ve taken enough of your time. Thank you for the enlightening conversation, Lady Vortell."
[We barely spoke, though?]
Before Zephyra could press further, the woman glided to the door with inhuman grace.
"Oh, and..." Belstadt paused, glancing back at Zephyra’s desk with a knowing smile. "Cute lizard. Though you might want to be careful; animals around the palace do sometimes have unnatural properties."
The door closed behind her with a soft click that somehow managed to sound ominous.
Zephyra sat back in her chair, her mind racing.
The lizard chose that moment to scamper onto her hand, its tiny claws tickling her palm.
"Well?" she asked it, absently stroking its head. "What do you think?"
The lizard just blinked at her.
"Yes, I agree. This is definitely trouble." She sighed, watching the last rays of sunlight fade from her windows. "Though I suppose trouble was inevitable when Melisa accidentally invented necromancy. At least you’re good company."
She really needed to stop talking to the lizard.
...right after she named it.
---
{Melisa}
The walk back to Javir’s manor felt like it took years. Every step was heavy with the weight of what Aria had told her.
The weight of the situation Melisa might have created.
[The king is dying,] Melisa thought for probably the hundredth time that night, her tail dragging behind her. [The king is dying and it’s probably my fault because I just HAD to get creative with forbidden magic.]
She was acting like this but, of course, it wasn’t lost on her that if she hadn’t healed him, he may have just died that night at the gala. Still, though, that and the cool night air did nothing to calm her racing thoughts. She’d been on the verge of a breakdown since leaving the academy, barely holding it together.
[Maybe... maybe I could use the spell again?] She considered, then immediately shook her head. [No, that’s stupid. If the first casting is killing him, a second one would probably make him explode or something.]
By the time she reached her room, Melisa felt like she’d aged about fifty years.
She pushed open the door to find Raven sprawled on her bed, reading by candlelight.
"Is that one of Mom’s books?" Melisa asked, managing a weak smirk despite everything.
Raven’s pale cheeks flushed slightly.
"Your mother has... interesting taste in literature."
Any other night, Melisa would have teased her mercilessly about reading Margaret’s collection of "interesting" novels. Tonight, she just collapsed face-first onto the bed with a groan.
Raven set the book aside, grey eyes studying Melisa’s slumped form.
"You look like you’ve been hit by a merchant caravan," she observed quietly. "Several times."
"The king’s dying," Melisa mumbled into her pillow. "Because of my spell. The one that was supposed to save him? Yeah, turns out its effects might have an expiration date. So, yeah."
For a long moment, Raven said nothing. Then:
"That’s... not ideal."
Melisa couldn’t help it - she snorted. Leave it to Raven to respond to potential regicide with the understatement of the century.
"I’m going to sleep," Melisa announced, not bothering to change out of her clothes. "Maybe when I wake up, this will all have been a weird dream or something, I dunno."
She had just started to drift off when warm arms snaked around her waist. Melisa almost burst out laughing as she realized what was happening.
Raven, former assassin and professional badass, was trying to... cuddle her?
"What are you doing?" Melisa asked, her tail curling happily despite everything.
"...trying to make you feel better," Raven muttered against her back, sounding almost embarrassed. "Is it working?"
Melisa rolled over, pulling the other girl closer.
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"Yeah," she said softly, breathing in Raven’s familiar scent of leather. "Yeah, it’s working just fine."