I wasn't sure why, but I half expected to make our way on foot. Instead, we got nothing short of a royal carriage, bigger than the one the Ashtons used. We sat inside, and a man in fancy robes greeted us. Marcus joined us on the opposite couch, and the robed man leaned forward. There was a tingle, a light touch that spread up my arms and past my ears. I glanced to Devon but his face was as unreadable as ever.

"Would any of you like a drink?" he asked with an easy smile. When no one said yes, he dipped his head and leaned back. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Ulren, one of his Majesty's advisors."

Devon stayed silent, as did Alice, the two returning to their usual silent behavior. I picked up the slack and smiled.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Cain; this is Devon and Alice," I offered.

His smile brightened a few notches, and he clasped his hands together.

"Good. To business then. Captain Volk has spun quite a tale. And the nobles would like to confirm the details," he said. "It's rather remarkable that the Ashtons are alive. Is it true that a giant is living inside the mountain?"

"There is, so I'd suggest leaving it alone. Friendly enough, but as you can imagine, the bandits were unwelcome."

He sighed. "That is unfortunate, then. The pass is one of the safest routes for our merchants to take. They'll be unhappy about accommodating for the extra days the alternate routes take, but alas, better not to anger our new neighbor."

Not exactly new, I bet he was around before you were born.

I kept my expression blank and waited. Something about the man felt wrong. Too friendly, too polite. Unless he was a little crazy like Krenlow or Haldeena, I doubted the man was showing us his genuine emotions.

"Well, are there any questions? We have some time before we arrive," he said.

Devon leaned forward, and his eyes flashed red. "What magic did you cast earlier? Speak wrong, and I present your head to the king."

"R-right. M-my bad. I merely activated the silence charm to prevent people from hearing our discussion. I swear." From his shirt he pulled a necklace free. The chain was made of gold but the amulet itself looked like a thinly carved slab of iron. Along the front, the edges of burnt paper crumbled against his touch. "It was a useable item commonly deployed by nobles and members of the crown. I promise."

Devon let off, and Ulren swallowed.

"How many people should we expect?"

"His Majesty, the queen, the eldest prince and princess, along with the court sorcerer. They represent the royal faction, while the heads from the three major households, Baathan, Redmire, and Vertus, will also be joining. And I believe Lord Ashton is already at the castle waiting for us."

"Why didn't he ride with us?" I asked.

"His Majesty wanted to discuss sir Ashton's journey and handle matters regarding their estate," Marcus explained.

"Yes, the Ashtons may be small, as far as noble houses go, but they are responsible for the outer villages to the east."

Alice finally spoke up, her eyes intensely focused on the advisor. "You mentioned a sorcerer. What kind of magic do they use?"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

The advisor shifted, his eyes darting between the three of us. Eventually, Marcus stepped in and cleared his throat.

"Sir Renner employs several kinds of magic. But he is most apt in the sort of sorcery involving plants. He regularly spends time with the royal alchemist to create tinctures for our kingdom's needs. An upstanding fellow and a valuable asset to the kingdom, I'm sure he would love to meet you."

Marcus answered swiftly, but there was visible tension in the advisor. Devon and Alice clamped up, so I tried to make small talk, but Ulren went from charismatic to introverted.

Great. Good start. What else could go wrong?

***

Trumpets blared, and the cabin came to a stop. Marcus hopped out first and shut the door while Ulren regained enough sociability to smile and face the door expectantly.

"Ulren? Are we waiting for something?"

"Yes!" he smiled. "His Majesty wanted the royal guard to greet you, to honor your visit. It shouldn't be much longer."

The trumpets sounded again and heavy drums joined in the cacophony. A loud knock came from outside as the instruments stopped, and Ulren opened the door. Once light spilled through the cabin, Ulren dropped to his knee and practically kissed the carpet.

Marcus stepped into frame, in full salute. "His Majesty, King Mulren Reztrassus is here to greet Sir Devon, Sir Cain, and Miss Alice! All stand!"

Alice stepped over Ulren and hopped out, followed by me, and then Devon brought up the rear. A full contingent of knights stood inside the castle courtyard with raised swords and shining armor. They held their blades toward the sky, their faces unreadable with the metal helmets covering their heads. Two larger knights, each sporting a tower shield with a crest, banged their shields against the stone, creating a deep drum roll.

Behind them--in surprisingly normal-looking robes made of grey silk--a man with salt-and-pepper hair and a manicured beard was flanked by three knights. He caught my gaze and smiled.

As he moved, the knights behind him followed, never more than a foot apart. The parade of knights lowered their swords and sheathed them, their movements in sync. When the king came within talking distance, they spread out and flanked his sides.

"Greetings, friends! It's an honor to meet more of your kind," boomed the king.

Devon nodded, and the king returned it with a smile. However, Ulren rushed out and bowed to the king before he could speak.

"My apologies, your grace. I wasn't told that you'd be coming yourself! Forgive me!" he gushed.

King Mulren clapped his arm around Ulren's shoulders. "Nonsense, Ulren. It was I who decided to greet the Grimms myself. Thank you for escorting them here!"

Devon finally stepped forward and lazily scanned the courtyard. "Where is the other Grimm?"

"Inside, sir Devon. Is there anything I can do for you before we enter? I trust that my brother has filled you in on what to expect?"

Brother? Oh, that explains the similar names. Could be why the king is so friendly.

"He did," Devon replied.

I resisted shaking my head.

"Ahh. Let's get inside, I'm sure you are eager to begin! If you require food or drinks, Marcus here will help. Men! You are dismissed!"

The rows of knights marched away and Ulren fell in step with Mulren as he strolled toward the double door. The bodyguard knights stayed to his left and right, leaving the tallest fellow between the king and us.

They kept their hands firmly on their scabbards strapped to their waists.

Once inside, the castle held surprisingly little extravagance on display. I expected gilded ornaments and rows of fine tapestry. Instead, simple banners and the occasional torch adorned the walls. The only splotch of color was the carpet, its fabric an immaculate deep red.

The king led us down a hallway where two guards stood at attention with halberds held out. As the king approached, they saluted and slammed the weapons twice against the ground before pushing the doors open and stepping aside.

While the castle interior lacked the trappings of royalty, the throne room was the exception. Gold chandeliers hung from the ceiling while a myriad of weapons and trophies lined the walls. Massive tapestries, longer than Devon, hung down, displaying colorful stories of a hero vanquishing a monster.

And to top it off, a metal throne, encrusted with gold filigree and blood-red gems, stood empty as a lady in fine silver stood up and kissed Mulren's cheek.

Mulren turned around and gently led the woman forward. She had a silver circlet atop her head, matching Mulren's gold.

"And this is my love, Queen Lynrell. Without her, I would be half the king I am today," he mused.

Lynrell blushed and lightly patted his hand before bowing toward us. "It's an honor to meet the Grimms. I hope the city has been to your liking."

I lightly bowed and paused. A scent filled my nose and brought forth a flash of rage. Mana churned and flowed into my eyes as the world grew bright.

Corrupted!