The morning a few days later was intense for Erilaz, Andvari and Hefri. They sat on a bench to take a break after a round of training, clothed in training tunics and holding wooden swords.

"We're having the rematch tomorrow," said Hefri, taking deep breaths. She smiled feistily. "I can't just let you tie with me like that."

Erilaz wiped his forehead, brushing off wet strands of hair. His ponytail became ruffled and plenty of single strands of hair stuck out of it. "I had an off day. Normally I would just beat you in the first round."

Hefri glanced at Andvari, who lost with both of them. She leant towards Erilaz and whispered, covering her mouth, "You're not the only one who’s having a bad day."

Andvari glared at them. His skin was paler than usual and he breathed as if a bulldozer drove through his chest. "When I feel better I will show both of you..." he hissed ominously, but his weary eyes made him look like a sleepy, harmless bear in hibernation.

"Seriously, take care of yourself. You almost look like a dead man," said Erilaz, stretching on the bench.

"I’ve felt quite sick recently," responded Andvari, rubbing his eyes. "I'll ask for some meds today."

Hefri flinched, moving away from him and pushing Erilaz to the edge of the bench. "Is that contagious!?" she asked.

Andvari raised his head with difficulty and looked at her. "I don't know. I can cough on you, and we’ll find out."

"Bleh..." she mumbled. She reached towards the table and grabbed her LiqWatch. "I'm gonna call for something to drink. Any special orders?"

Erilaz wiped his sweating face with his sleeve. "Anything cold will be fine."

Tapping at her device, she asked, "And you?"

After a few seconds of silence, she looked at Andvari and raised her voice, "Andvari?"

Andvari blinked a few times and clenched his teeth, distracted by his incessant.

"I don't know," he muttered, resting his forehead on his hand. "Water maybe..."

Hefri nodded and tapped at the screen again. She leant on the backrest and stretched her legs while waiting for the drone to deliver the drinks.

After a little while the door to the terrace opened. The three Celestians lazily glanced at the entrance but when they saw Ivendir, they livened up.

"Troubles again?" whispered Hefri to Erilaz, following the king with her eyes.

Ivendir approached them, and Erilaz and Hefri stood up.

"Your..." began Erilaz but Ivendir swung his hand in passing.

"Commanders Hefri and Erilaz, could you give me a few minutes?" he asked and glanced at Andvari. "I have something to discuss with Commander Andvari."

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

Without any questions, Erilaz and Hefri left, talking with each other. Andvari still sat on the bench with his elbows on the table. He vacantly gazed ahead and all voices he heard sounded distant. At the mere sight of the Celestian with maroon hair, he knew he was doomed. His forehead was damp after the training but now large drops of sweat streamed down his face. Despite the effort while sparring with his friends, he tried to breathe as slowly and quietly as he could.

How? he wondered, clenching his fists. Where was the error?

"Commander?" asked Ivendir.

Andvari jumped to his feet. "I'm sorry, I wasn’t paying attention, Your Highness..." Fighting the dizziness, he paused to take a breath. "I don't feel well."

Ivendir sat down on the opposite bench and crossed his arms. "Come on, sit down."

Andvari sat on the very edge, hiding his hands under the table.

"I see you're enjoying the spring," said Ivendir, looking around the modest garden.

"Oh... yeah. Everything goes green,"responded Andvari. "There is no need to break through the snow..."

"And the big and small animals wake up from their winter sleep," added Ivendir, sizing Vardir up.

"Yeah." Andvari forced himself to lift the corners of his mouth. "Unfortunately for us, the insects wake up too."

Ivendir returned the smile. "As I remember, you weren't good at biology."

Andvari clenched his sweaty fists. This discussion made no sense to him. The tendons in his hands began to ache. The coldness blew at his face even if there was no wind and the sun warmed up the air.

He gulped and responded, "Hefri reminds me about this too. You know, her and her shrubs."

"So you probably don't know that lizards, especially those green-blue ones," said Ivendir, leaning on the backrest, "wake up later than most animals here?"

These words felt like a punch in the guts for Andvari. He couldn't take a breath for a moment. His breakfast approached dangerously close to his throat.

"Li... lizards?"

Ivendir tilted his head and disillusion clouded his eyes. "I thought there was peace between us..." he said in a gloomy voice.

Andvari narrowed his eyebrows. He stood up and gripped the edges of the table. "There will never be peace between the false king and me!" he hissed through clenched teeth.

Unimpressed with this threat, Ivendir explained, "I didn't trust you so I made up that test." He lowered his eyes and shook his head. "I hoped I was wrong."

A group of guards in civil clothes entered the garden and a few of them took positions on the nearby terraces. They wore coats, furs and capes to cover their guns and avoid panic among others.

Ivendir slowly stood up. Andvari still glared at him, his eyes soaked with hatred and wrath. The king took a few steps back and added quietly, "I was absolutely right."

He looked knowingly at the guards. "Arrest him," he ordered in a gentle, serene voice.

Seeing the guards around him, Andvari raised his hands. All escape routes were blocked by them, and their gunfire would reach him before he could take one step. His face expressed only pure aversion but his trembling fists and rapid, shallow breath exposed the most primitive fear. He feared his upcoming death. A searing stream ran from his stomach to his fingertips, which confused him for a few seconds.

Despite the dizziness and violent heartbeat, he regained his clarity of thought. Narrowing his eyes, he hissed, "If not me, then someone else will do it."

The guards surrounded him, and one of them wrenched his hands behind his back.

"Helvetto will prevail," he growled when the guard handcuffed him, "just without you."

Ivendir didn't respond. He only stood with his arms crossed and followed Vardir with his eyes.

The guards took Andvari inside and when the door slid shut behind them, Ivendir sighed heavily without any relief.

He drooped his shoulders and shook his head. His worldview has been shaken again. Not all Vardir were his devoted warriors. He couldn't trust them. He couldn't trust anyone but Thelrim. Traitors hid everywhere, and each of them only watched him, waiting for his slip-up. He had no way to know if his friends, helpers or attendants were loyal. He couldn't test each of them individually like he tested Erilaz and Andvari.

If even Vardir can do that... he thought, and his hands began to tremble, who else may come after me?