Talent's POV
Talent stared at the magistrates. There were five in total. He recognized the three he left outside of the mine, but two others, a tall lanky male and a young woman with a hard expression and scars all down the left side of her face, were only vaguely familiar to him. He’d probably seen them once or twice when they became magistrates, or perhaps on a scheduled break when they returned to the manor for reprieve.
He couldn't tell what they were thinking. They were all looking at him, some with curiosity while others looked concerned. They were waiting for him to respond, he knew that much.
Talent felt a growing sense of unease that was quickly turning into panic. How could he know if any of them was working with Nyvlano? How could he know they weren’t traitors?
The girl who had been watching the entrance of the mine stepped forward, saying, “I’m completely grateful for an early break, but if you want to keep the site secure, we are happy to return.” As she finished, she glanced at each of her fellow magistrates for confirmation.
They all nodded in agreement.
Talent wasn’t sure what to make of the gesture, but he knew he needed to make a decision.
With a few seconds of thought, he realized that she right. They couldn’t leave the mine completely unattended. There could still be other survivors as evidenced by the two additional magistrates. And what of Nyvlano’s accomplices if any existed? He wasn't sure, but he thought it would be best to leave behind some sort of force. He said, “Yes, please return to your duties.”
The girl, Talent recalled her name was Liana, nodded.
Talent quickly instructed Sandra to return to the mine and drop off the magistrates. She didn’t seem happy about it, but she listened to his orders and turned the crystal cruiser around.
Even after making the drop, Talent remained in the cabin, separated from Sandra. He needed to be alone. He needed time to think.
It was difficult for him to accept that a magistrate would betray him—that his father wouldn’t have set rulings in place to prevent such a scenario. More than that though, Talent couldn’t understand why Nyvlano would want to destroy the mine or what he might have been trying to hide.
He wondered if his father knew all along what happened with the mine. Was this some sort of test? Did Talent’s father stage the whole thing just to test him? If so, then Talent had certainly failed. He froze in the critical moment when confronted with an otherworldly apparition and then he failed to react when attacked. If not Sandra, he’d probably be dead, or at least gravely injured.
His thoughts turned back to the strange occurrence. He wanted to know what the creature was and how it was able to move freely through solid matter. No magistrate possessed that skill. Not even his father could do it. Talent could only think of one who could and he knew she was nowhere near the mine.
Mila couldn’t make magistrates and even if she could, she couldn’t turn them completely incorporeal. Could that thing have had something to do with the explosion or whatever secret Nyvlano was trying to hide?
Talent wondered if the creature could be one of the beasts of legend that was said to be trapped inside the crystals. He had felt some sense of recognition when he saw the being. It felt familiar to him, like seeing one of his father’s bastard children or someone from a distant dream.
His thoughts consumed him completely as he chased theories around his mind, never able to settle on an answer or finish putting the puzzle back together.
The trip back to the manor was as long as the trip to the mine and Talent had no more answers by the time he returned than he did when they first left.
After landing, Talent wasn’t quite ready to speak to his father. His mind felt foggy and he was certain that Lord Kastin would be furious with what he had to report. Talent thought it best to let Sandra report first. He would less angry with her, and her report would prepare him for everything Talent had to say.
Talent made his way to the baths, and after a long soak, he finally felt relaxed enough to face his father. He walked the halls toward his father's study with confidence, but when he arrived he found his father already gone.
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Mila was there, cleaning and organizing as was her responsibility. She didn't seem to notice him as he entered, and it struck him how dedicated she was to the task. She could have finished the task in moments with magic, but she preferred to do it all by hand.
It was work for a servant. Or even a lucky number, but Mila insisted she was no different from them. She did everything to deny her nature and Talent could never understand why. Perhaps that was why he found her so interesting.
Her long black hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and she was wearing a dark purple dress that complimented her skin tone. She was beautiful. Talent hadn’t realized he thought so until now. Maybe it was because of what Sandra said. Maybe he was just thinking too much. He shook the thoughts from his mind and said, “I am looking for my father. Do you know where he is?”
Mila continued cleaning, her eyes focused on a stack of papers as she moved them into a folder and placed them neatly in a drawer. Her voice was soft, but firm when she answered, “No, I don’t. You may not believe this, but I actually prefer not to know where he is.”
Talent nodded and let out a long sigh.
Mila looked up, her eyes searching his face for a moment before she asked, “You seem troubled. Can I help you with anything?”
Talent opened his mouth, but before he could speaks Mila added, “Anything aside from where your father might be?”
Talent chuckled. She was good at making him laugh. He thought he needed that right now. He said, “Actually, I wouldn't mind if you could keep me company for a while. I could use someone to talk to. That is if you're not too busy with the cleaning and sorting and all the other servant things you do.”
Mila smiled as she picked up another folder and slipped the contents into a drawer. She said, “I’m almost done, actually. It’ll go faster if you give me a hand.”
Talent laughed from his belly at the thought.
Mila giggled and her smile broadened. She said, “You look better, like you're feeling better. Was the trip difficult? I heard that the mine collapsed.”
Talent shrugged. “I’d rather not talk about that now.”
They were both silent for a few short moments, then Talent asked, “What was your home like?”
Mila was quiet as she organized a few more folders into a drawer. She seemed to think for a long time, then she turned to him and said, “Well, it was very different from here, but I hardly remember it. The only thing I really recall is the moment your father showed up burning through the village with his magistrates. Mostly I remember the sight of my parents laying in their own blood as your father carried me away. I remember crying for them. I don't even remember what they looked like now. I remember the feel of your father's hand as he held me, his smell, and the warmth of his chest. And the god-awful smell of blood that hung on him like perfume. That memory I can't seem to escape no matter how much I try.”
Talent watched as she returned to cleaning.
Mila seemed to focus on the task, but Talent could see that her eyes were slightly glossy. He felt bad for bringing up the subject. He wanted to apologize but he wasn't sure how to phrase it. He was about to leave when Mila asked, “Do you know why he brought me here?”
Talent didn’t know, but he did have a theory. Mila was taken not long after the incident with his mother. His father must have wanted a way to ensure he could produce a new heir, even if they didn’t inherit their diato from him. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that. He hoped it wasn’t true—even more now that he’d heard her tale. He said, “I'm sorry, I don't know.”
Mila smiled and wiped her eyes. Then she turned toward him, saying, “Well, I’m done now if you still want the company.”
Guilt gnawed at Talent’s stomach. He didn’t think he should drag her around. He said, “No, I just remembered that I need to...uh, I should write my report before I forget the details.”
Mila nodded. “I understand. Perhaps another time then, when you feel less troubled. Good luck with your report.”
Talent forced a smile and left. He felt even worse now. He should have talked to her, not lied about the report.
His thoughts were still a mess and he needed to sort them out before he reported to his father. Talent made his way to his study and began writing out the events. He wrote everything, from the moment they arrived at the mine to his discovery of the metal door and Nyvlano’s subsequent attack and death. He wrote down his encounter with the creature, even though he still didn’t understand what it was. He also included a mention of the flames that chased he and Sandra from the tunnels.
He left nothing out of his report, not even his concerns about the magistrates.
After reading and rereading the report a few times, Talent wished he could just forget the day ever happened. He hadn’t even managed to restore the mine.
It was well into the night by the time he laid down to sleep. He tossed and turned in his bed until finally, he drifted off.His sleep was fitful and he woke frequently from strange dreams.
In the morning, he felt less rested than he had been when he went to bed, but he put on a fresh suit and make his way to his father's study.
“He isn’t here,” Magistrate Silas said.
He was on his way out as Talent approached. Silas was less intimidating than Sombra, but he was no less dangerous. Talent felt a sense of dread as he imagined the magistrate striking him with his signature death tap.
It was probably made up, but everyone talked of how Silas once killed a raging six hoofed voraldon by tapping it between the eyes. The tap sent vibrations through its skull, causing the beasts brain to burst.
Talent knew it was a silly story, but the thought of it still made him uneasy.
He smiled, nodded, and wished the magistrate a good day. Then he retreated back to his room, where he tried to get some more rest.