Chapter Ten

P R I D E : BONDS OF A FAMILY

C O L L A T E R A L : BAG AND BARGIN

The King was livid.

“I want to see every single person that has come into contact with my son.”

Mikael reached down beneath the bodies and pulled out his son like he was unclogging a drain. Everyone watched in mild horror as the boy kicked, screamed, bit, and scratched the King as a means to get him to let him go.

The King ignored it and flipped the boy until he was holding him like orcs hold their game. One arm around their stomach, leaving the body to hang and grasp at open air. That didn’t seem to stop the boy from trying to tear off the arm holding him up.

“-et the fuck off me, you piece of shit-”

The boy’s vocabulary was more vast than Mikael remembered it to be.

“Mikael.”

The King paused his plight and looked to the left to meet eyes with the Queen. She looked worried, hurt, and angry. The King looked at the table.

All his children were bowing so deep their heads were a centimeter off from touching the table top. Mercedes was balling her eyes out.

The King released his intent and looked to the guards who had stayed in their place.

“Move.”

Without hesitation the guards left to follow the King’s orders. Next the King looked at his kids.

“Leave us.”

There was no hesitation as four of the bodies got up to ran.

“You as well, Axel.”

“But-”

“Now.”

The Crown Prince was hurt. There has never been a meeting he’s missed, minor or not, since his crowning. Not a single one.

As he moved to stand Axel watched as the youngest continuously clawed at their Father, skin turning raw and red from his blunt nails.

He was as dangerous as an alley cat.

Yet.

Yet.

Father chose you.

A seed was set in the body of what used to be contentment.

It grew rapidly and fiercely.

Axel has never dealt with loss very well. He was just like his Mother in that regard.

Luella was upset too, but her fear won out. Never has she seen her father that mad before.

As she looked around no one but her Mother seemed to have seen this side of Father before.

“Axel, let’s go, please.”

The longer they were there the angrier Father became. For the first time in her life she actually feared the King.

Mercedes was lost. She had only been able to see Osiris’s sullen face before her Father…

Mercedes couldn’t help but look back before they left the room. Even with everyone’s rushed steps Mercedes caught a full glimpse of Osiris.

S I C K L Y

He looked at death’s door. Mercedes touched the mask on her face. Though she was worried, she couldn’t help but think.

She was still safe.

The two other boys left and never looked back.

Osiris was losing his speed. No matter how hard he scratched that man never bleed. It was annoying. Osiris lost a bit of steam.

Mikael felt the physical switch of his son calming down, but one look at his face sent his heart into overdrive.

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His son looked like he was dying.

“Summon the Imperial Healer. Now.”

“Already have, sir.”

Arkwright, thank god.

Mikael, though he knew the man was a slimy bastard, could always rely on him when he really needed him. He was clever that way, and Mikael could respect that.

“And you.”

He did not even need to face her.

“Wait in my office.”

She left without a word.

When the door clicked shut Mikael clenched his jaw.

She knew.

Mikael nearly saw red.

He knew he had gotten lazy. He knew her political power has grown nearly thrice the size of his own. He knew she had control over their castles, but this-

Mikael had to calm himself. Everything was just speculation until proven otherwise.

He had to keep calm.

Within ten seconds the Priestess was summoned.

She was half dressed and before anyone could see he threw a cloaking spell over her body.

“K-king-”

“Heal him.”

Lambert didn’t need to be told twice. The cloak moved with her as she went immediately towards them. Everyone remaining had nearly cleared the room.

Finally it was just Lambert and the King, plus his stubborn son who was still fighting him.

Lambert kneeled and gently lifted the boy's head.

Osiris didn’t realize he was looking at the floor until someone forced his vision up. Damn. He couldn’t see shit.

With what little energy he had left he aimed a punch right at the person's face.

On contact..

Osiris watched as his wrist bent and his arm went lax. He then watched it fall off the woman’s face like a sticky ball to a roof.

I think I’m tired now.

Osiris tried to punch with his other hand but it didn’t even move. Dumb bitch.

“Hey there bud.”

Osiris pinched his brows.

Bud?

“Whotefckare you?”

Is what he thought he said.

Lambert’s face paled.

“You need to leave. Cast a barrier on your way out.”

Though the King could feel himself fill with grief, he trusted Lambert.

Priests and Priestesses have always been that way for him. It was nearly impossible to be corrupt and still be able to use divine magic. It was a price that was paid by the holders of a god’s power.

The King finally let the boy down.

Osiris tried to run. Tried to. He ended up being laid down on a makeshift cot on the dining room floor. The smell of the food was driving him mad.

…

..

.

He lost a bit of time there for a second.

“-ell me when it hurts?”

“Huh?”

A woman? Is it the Queen?

Osiris would have shot straight up, if he could. Instead he choked. The pain was pretty bad this time.

“Can you tell me where it hurts?”

A bit more of his vision cleared.

“Huh?”

“My name is Lambert, I’m a Priestess.”

Osiris paused.

“What’s a nun doing here?”

Lambert’s mouth pursed.

“I’m the Imperial Healer.”

Osiris blinked.

Right. He wasn’t home anymore.

“-m telling you divine and m— can’t mix!” Isabella was at it again. “Why?”

“One comes from nature and one from god, they’re different in this world. It’s kind of like they hate each other.” “Hate?” “Yeah, but divine juice can be like SSS tier when regular healers can only hit S tier. It’s OP, but it’s only when god allows it. Other than that, it’s kind of fickle to work wi-”

Osiris slurred his vision over the girl. A kid, early twenties, black hair, black eyes, cute.

“What day is it?”

Osiris then looked at her glowing hands. Osiris blinked. More of his vision cleared.

Then he saw it. A golden halo. It looked like someone threw a prop over her head. On top of it all there were seven golden etched hands touching him, her, lifting things, moving hair, it was like she was a one man operating team.

“Can you tell me where it hurts?”

Lambert was at a loss. The boy’s body was not only devastatingly malnourished, there were clear signs of physical abuse. As she moved around his body she finally came upon his ankles.

His mana pathways were torn to shreds. She found not one, not two, but four busted pathways in his entire body. This sometimes happens with awakenings, especially those that happen without supervision.

Lambert rolled her divine magic over the boy's feet. The problem was she couldn’t find even a hint of anyone trying to repair them. Lambert looked deeper, Osiris’s face pinched.

There, deeper, there was a leak.

A drip.

His already overworked vessels can’t close to contain his mana. Lambert schooled her face.

That boy’s mana will never stop.

Where someone was supposed to contain and learn to bear that weight, he can not. This means that for the rest of his life that mana pool will continue to grow until it bursts.

Lambert began soothing the angry bundle of nerves.

The vessels act as a lid to slowly grow a person’s reserves, but also stop it when it becomes too much for the body to bear. Of course there are ways to train it, like every muscle, but everyone needs a rest.

Lambert waited for the next drop before setting a timer. There was only a minute between each drip.

“I want to go home.”

Lambert felt her heart ache for the boy. She hasn’t had a chance to officially meet him yet. She’s been out for the last year on a sabbatical, and the King assured her she wasn’t needed.

Lambert dispelled the cloak. It was starting to get in the way of her healing.

Eventually the boy passed out and Lambert couldn’t stop her tears. She was a professional, but seeing patients the same age as her younger sister always hit her close to home.

It was five hours later when they left that room.