Chapter Text
William stepped through the portal that Langris’s brother made to the dungeons beneath the Magic Knight headquarters. One of the Knights on duty dropped his hand of cards and the elder cursed, before saying, “Mr Vangeance. And… And Xerx Lugner?”
Xerx Lugner was restrained by the heavy branches of William’s magic and a gag of purple threads around his mouth. His white hair was askew, and a cut above his eye oozed blood. There were fragments of shattered ice caught within his clothing from the failed attack on Magna. “This man is under arrest. He will require your most secure magic-proof cell,” William said.
“But… A vice-captain,” the guard said.
“Indeed.” William allowed his magic to loosen so that he could reach Lugner’s grimoire holder on his belt. “This should be held as evidence.” The grimoire was the flimsiest that he had ever known. He could not help his own shudder as he felt the toxic magic within the covers. It felt like the grimoire was screaming. He dropped it onto the desk in front of the guards.
The guard curled her nose at the grimoire, then at Lugner. “Very good, sir. Cell three is vacant.”
“All the cells are vacant,” the other guard said and received a clip around the ear from his superior.
“We will require the paperwork to be completed,” she said as she handed over a clipboard with neat forms, “And I will need the…”
She stopped as Langris emerged from the portal leaning heavily on his crutches. He was only a little less pale than he had been on journey from the dungeon, and, on that occasion, he had lost consciousness from blood loss. His expression was closed off, but William thought he knew his vice-captain well enough to recognise that he was in pain. It was not just the newly healed leg, but also from the emotional trauma of hearing to what Lugner had done to his brother.
The portal disappeared into itself, and Langris took a steadying breath, but gave nothing else of his state of mind away.
“Never mind Lugner. What was that? Did someone just open a portal here?” the guard demanded. “That shouldn’t be possible. There are wards to prevent that.”
Lugner wriggled against William’s bindings but stopped when Langris’s crutch hit him in the back of the knee. “We should probably look into that,” William said thoughtfully. Langris’ glare darkened further.
The guards took control of the prisoner while William completed the forms. Langris refused the chair that he was offered and balanced on his uninjured leg watching Lugner as he was manoeuvred into cell three. The branches fell away as he stepped into the magic-less environment of the cell, but Vanessa’s gag remained tied in place. Neither guard attempted to remove it.
Once the door swung shut and four keys used to lock it, the guards returned. The elder took the papers and checked William’s answers. She frowned as she read. “The Watch commander will want to read this and listen to the recording you made.”
“Understood. We’re going to make a report to the Wizard King now.”
The Guard nodded, then glanced at the closed door of the cell. “I knew the Wild Broomsticks. It was a good place. She was a good woman.”
“It sounds like it. Thank you for your assistance.” William shook their hands, then waved his fingers in front of Langris’s face to attract his attention. “We should go back to base.”
“I need to speak to my parents.”
“I’m not sure that is a good idea. The Watch will want to…”
Langris was not listening. He turned and limped toward the stairs. William followed.
“The recovery mage said that you had to rest that leg. This is not what he was talking about.”
Langris turned. The cold, impersonal mask was firmly in place, although there was a tightness around the eyes. He was leaning on the crutches more than he had this morning. “I need to speak to my parents,” he said again. “What kind of son would I be if I didn’t tell them that the child that they sent away and thought dead is still alive?”
“Langris.”
He ignored William and began to hop clumsily up the stairs. William would have offered to assist, but he knew how Langris normally reacted to an unexpected touch. He could only follow. The report to Julius would have to wait.
-
There was a spatial mage on duty in headquarters who could open a portal to the village of Tota. As she prepared, she explained that there were wards around the manor that prevented her from making a portal directly to the door. It would be a short walk from the centre of the village. William glanced at Langris’s crutches significantly, but Langris was staring far away.
William had been concerned about his vice-captain’s state of mind in the months since he learned his brother had died. But it went back longer than that. William had put up his hand for Langris at the entrance examination because his magic and control was something special. William had been surprised that the boy had accepted the offer from one of the newer squads rather than the established Crimson Lions and Silver Eagles who had also offered him a place. He had declined to explain his reasoning with his arms crossed when asked. William had hoped that over time the young man would relax.
He did not, but he continued to excel. His magic grew in power and his work ethic was, frankly, terrifying. He was grudging with his praise and free with his advice but he was always honest. Yami had called him ‘Grumpy’ the first time they met, and it had stuck, but within the Golden Dawn he was well thought of. They liked him.
The only person that he had unreasonable expectations of was himself. He pushed himself harder than anyone William had ever met. He improved his control over his incredible power as well as learning many of the administrative tasks required to run a squad. William could never get him to slow down, and, in the end, accepted that it was simply Langris’s character. William and the other senior squad members had all dropped a blanket over the sleeping teenager or pushed food at him in the library. Over the years, William had recognised a pattern. Langris was worse at looking after himself after he had been home or been visited by his parents. He had half considered banning the Vaudes from the Golden Dawn, but he had convinced himself that it would have been an overreaction.
Langris had proved his abilities during the border war with Diamond. Four members of the squad were killed in a battle that had meant to be an easy evacuation of a village. It would have been more if the teenager had not stepped into the role of the fallen vice-captain and rallied the survivors. In the aftermath, no one questioned the boy’s right to the promotion and any doubters were silenced when he made the position his own. The Golden Dawn benefited from his efforts. He pulled the whole team with him in striving to be better.
Then, a few months ago, he had requested time to visit his parents because he had received a letter. When he returned, it was as if his usually cool attitude had been replaced with frozen hostility. He snarled. He argued. He only ate with the team if he was forced. He made junior squad members cry until William pulled him out of the teaching sessions. Langris responded by pushing his own training even harder. No one found him asleep in the library or the practice rooms, which might have felt like an improvement except that the dark rings under his eyes and the light under the door of his room suggested he was not sleeping anywhere else.
William investigated because asking Langris had been met with silence or a growled, “I’m fine.” It had taken a little work to find the report of Langris’s brother’s death during a robbery. It read Body of male disfigured by burns caused by category four fire spell. Identification confirmed as nineteen year old Finral Vaude by parents, Mr and Mrs Vaude. Both parents had signed the form. Langris’s familiar scrawl was underneath. Langris had been there and seen his brother’s mutilated body. It explained a lot.
It did not explain why Langris refused to discuss it even when William addressed it directly though. Doctor Owen and other members of the squad were met with the same response. In the end, William took the doctor’s advice, restricted Langris’s responsibilities and waited.
The straightforward mission to clear out the dungeon had seemed a perfect opportunity to get Langris out of the base, especially when Yami agreed to come along. Two squad captains, a vice captain and a couple of rookies would be able to take on anything they found in a well explored dungeon. Instead, Langris had been caught in a rock fall and badly injured. And, unknown to any of them at the time, had been rescued by the young man who, months before, had also rescued his brother.
“I’m ready to make the portal to Tota village at your convenience, sirs,” the spatial mage said.
Langris had not sat but had stayed standing as they waited. He did not acknowledge the spatial mage but walked towards the dais ready for the portal to appear.
William said, “Thank you,” for them both, and followed Langris through the portal onto the main street in the village of Tota.
The road was quiet. There was a faint drizzle keeping people indoors. William had hoped to find a carriage of some kind that could take them to the Vaude manor. But there was none and Langris did not seem to expect any. He began to walk towards the outskirts of the village without acknowledging William’s presence. The crutches crunched on the gravel sidewalk.
William walked at Langris’s side. Neither spoke, even when the crutch slipped on the damp earth and William automatically put out a hand to steady the younger man. Langris shrugged the hand away as soon as he was stable again.
It was not until they reached the front gates that William finally said, “Do you know what you are going to say to them?”
Langris shrugged. “Finral is alive. I need to know what they knew about the things that happened to him.”
“The Watch will investigate. You don’t have to do this.”
For the first time since arriving at the holding cells, Langris looked at William properly. “The Watch will investigate the thefts and the murders. I need to know what happened to my brother and that started here. I owe him that.”
“Langris. You don’t owe him anything. What happened to Finral was not your fault.”
Langris did not answer. He turned away and pushed the gate open.
The path toward the manor was well tended with neat flowerbeds. But beyond were signs of creeping neglect. Weeds were encroaching into the smooth lawns and dead leaves lay uncleared. The manor itself was as grand as any in Clover, but it too showed signs that the opulence was a façade. The large entrance door was ruby red, but the paint on the sills of the upper floors was cracking. Curtains were drawn across most of the windows. Smoke curled from only one chimney among many.
Langris paused before they reached the stairs into the house. He was looking towards a patch more overgrown than the rest. There were ancient, curled trees growing in the long grass. William did not think anyone had been there for a long time.
“That was where I last saw him,” Langris said softly. “I was studying in my room, and he appeared through a portal. He begged me to come and play. We knew that we weren’t supposed to, and that if we were caught, he would be in so much trouble. But it was warm and sunny, and he said we would stay out of everyone’s way. In the end, I agreed. We went to the orchard. And we had until...” He swallowed. “Until mother found us. She told me the next day that he had been sent away.” His voice was even quieter as he said, “I should have told him no.”
“Langris,” William started, even though he had no idea what he was going to say.
“They will be inside.” Langris began walking again.
At the door, Langris pulled on the bell. The sound echoed through the house. It did not take long for a young woman to pull the door ajar. She was wearing serving overalls and her long red hair was tied up in a hasty bun. She stared first at Langris, then William. “Master Langris? And Mr Vangeance.”
“Martha. I will see my parents.”
Martha did not open the door further. Her initial surprise at seeing them was replaced by concern. William felt that it was more than the splint and crutches. “What’s wrong? What happened to you?”
Langris gave a brittle laugh. “I… I lost a fight with a rock fall. Isn’t that what he said?”
William nodded.
“You look like you should still be in the infirmary.”
“They let me out. Please, Martha. It’s important.”
“Well, it’s your house. Of course, you can come in.” She stepped back and opened the door fully. “But the master is in a foul mood. You might be safer discussing things with him later.”
William was prepared for Langris to lash out. Anyone in the Golden Dawn who spoke to him like that would have found themselves full of spatial magic holes. Even William thought he might have been snapped at when Langris was in this mood. But the woman at the door seemed to be a special case. “I know, Martha. But it’s important. It’s about Finral.”
She gasped and covered her mouth. “You shouldn’t say his name,” she whispered as she ushered them inside, glancing over her shoulder. “He’s in such a mood already.”
“Where is father?”
“They’re in the drawing room, but you shouldn’t…”
Langris had already started limping towards the closed door to their left. William went to follow, but Martha grabbed his arm. “You keep him safe, sir.”
“I will. Thank you.”
The drawing room was like the garden, superficially well kept, but showing signs that it covered a deeper malaise. The furniture was deep velvet red, and the carpet was a thick pile. But William had been in enough rich homes to recognise that the expensive ornaments were cheap copies. There were a couple of bookshelves, but they held dried flowers and chipped crockery rather than books.
Mr and Mrs Vaude sat on separate sofas. Mr Vaude, Ledior, if William remembered correctly, was middle aged with greying hair and a heavy build unlike either of his sons. His eyes were sharp, and his features creased into an angry frown at the interruption. His wife had been working on some embroidery. She scowled until she realised who was at the door.
“Langris, dear,” she said as she stood. “Oh, my. You’ve been injured. My poor son. What happened to your leg?”
“Mother,” Langris replied. He did not look away from his father. “Sir. I need to talk to you.”
“Oh, but dear,” Lilane continued. “What were you doing? I told you that you’re being overworked on that squad. What did that Captain make you do this time? Was it on a mission?”
Langris stood motionless as she came into his space and began running her hands over his hair. He was keeping his agitation under control, but William could not understand how the woman did not realise that her actions were unwanted.
Ledior had returned to looking at his letters. “Disappointing, Langris. You will move faster next time, I’m sure.”
“Mother,” Langris said finally, and used his crutches to step out of her grasp. “I am well.”
Now she realised that William was there. “Mr Vangeance,” she said in surprise.
“Ma’am,” William replied with a nod. He did not comment that she had called him ‘that Captain’ moments ago.
“Why are you here?” Ledior asked. “I’m sure that Langris will have informed you that I require notice of appointments. It is not appropriate to ‘drop in’ when I am working.”
“I am aware, father. This could not wait.”
There was something in his tone that made Ledior fold the letter he was reading and look at his son. “Liliane. Sit down,” he said irritably.
“Ledior,” she objected. “Your son…”
“Your son,” the ‘your’ was emphasised, “is here to ask a question that is more important than the respect due to his head of house. You may fuss after he has spoken.”
Liliane glared at her husband but stepped back to perch on the edge of her chair.
No one asked them to sit. William wondered if the faint tremble of exhaustion in Langris’s hands was obvious to his parents.
“I have questions about Finral.”
Liliane tutted and looked away. It was Ledior that replied. “Really, Langris. Must you bring this up? The issue has been dealt with.”
“I need to know where you sent him. Did you know what happened to him?”
Ledior had picked up his letters again. He waved at his wife. “You answer his foolish questions. It was your idea after all.”
“You know this, dear,” Liliane said. “He was being a distraction to your studying. You were always destined to be a senior magic knight, but if the wastrel had been allowed free rein who knows what might have happened to you. I was generous. I gave him plenty of chances to mend his ways, but when it was clear that he would always be a useless layabout, then he forced my hand.”
“Who, mother? Who did you send him to?”
“Well, I hardly see that it is any of your business who…”
For the first time there was a crack in Langris’s control. William did not know if the Vaudes would recognise the brief pull of spatial magic for what it was, because it was locked down as quickly as it began. But the threat was real. “Who? Where did you send him?”
Perhaps Liliane Vaude did recognise the danger. “Mr Lugner,” she said shortly. “We met him at a party. He was interested in spatial magic. When he found out who your father was, he was very impressed. He offered to apprentice you, but your father knew you’d be better trained in the household. Your brother, on the other hand, was a lost cause.”
“Did you know what Lugner was?”
“I don’t understand, dear. He’s a magic knight vice-captain. And he is a very generous gentleman. We paid an allowance towards your brother’s food and accommodation and whatever training it was possible to provide. His terms were always reasonable. He even suggested giving us money at one point.”
’He was starved, William,’ Owen had said as they waited in the corridor outside Finral’s room. ‘I couldn’t tell you if he’s thirteen or twenty. It’s affected his growth and bone development. In the catalogue of misery that they inflicted on the boy, it may seem a small thing, but they couldn’t even give him a proper meal.’
“Did you ever ask to see him?”
“Why would we? We had assurances that his training was going as well as it could do given his deficiencies of character. Really, it was a relief to know that he was being looked after by someone of such standing. I’m sure he did not deserve it. And then, he died. Poor dear, but at least he never infected you with his idleness. Langris, why are you asking these questions? Surely you cannot still be upset that he’s dead?”
William struggled to maintain his composure. Did these people truly think so little of the son that they had sent to a thief, torturer and murderer? Did they think so little of Langris?
“How did you find out that Finral was dead?”
“Mr Lugner contacted us and gave us the news. He seemed upset and said that the watch needed a family member to confirm the identity of the body. It was the least we could do for the gentleman after he had taken your brother into his care. Your father and I attended. We would never have told you, but Mr Lugner suggested that you come too. He thought it might help with the grieving process. He was always so thoughtful.”
“He said you’d been writing him letters,” Ledior put in. He still held a letter, but he was watching his son.
Liliane pouted. “Langris. Is this true? You were writing to Mr Lugner?”
When Langris did not answer, Ledior gave up all pretence of completing paperwork. “He said that you wanted to see Finral.”
“But why, Langris? Why would you want to see that boy again? He was never the brother that you deserved. He would have held you back. I’m disappointed that he died, for Mr Lugner’s sake, but really, you’re better off without him.”
Still Langris did not answer. His father said, “This nonsense better not be about causing Xerx trouble. He’s been a good friend to this family. And not just in his efforts with your brother. There have been investment opportunities that he has been most helpful with, and business decisions that he has given invaluable advice. He’s a valued business partner to this family. Although, he has seemed distracted recently.”
William thought about the cracked paint, curtained windows and cheap ornaments. Perhaps Xerx had been helping in more ways than the Vaudes suspected.
“Do you know who Xerx Lugner is, father? What he did?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.”
Langris took a deep breath. Then, quietly, “He’s a murderer and a torturer, father. He took Finral and used him to steal.”
Ledior did not believe him. “Don’t be ridiculous, stupid boy. Xerx Lugner is the vice-captain of the Purple Orca. He’s not a thief. If anything, your brother might have…”
Langris interrupted. “I heard it out of his own mouth. He used Finral’s magic to get into places he had no business being.”
“Lies and slander,” Ledior snapped. “Unless you have examples, I won’t believe it.”
Under Gordon’s truth spell, Xerx Lugner had given few examples of his broader illegal activities. William suspected that this was because the larger crime had been standing in front of him, gripping Magna’s hand. But there had been enough information for William to recognise at least one theft that the Vaudes would know. He said, “Four years ago, precious works of Clover art were removed from the country home of the Kiras.”
Ledior scowled. “I recall.”
“No one worked out how the perpetrators managed to gain access. The only lead we ever had was an unknown gentleman who took his son to a local healer in the window of time that the thefts took place.”
Langris glanced at William. He had not known this. William had helped with the investigation and recalled speaking to the young healer at the time. He had recalled the incident clearly because the boy needed more time in a recovery spell to stabilise the work that had been done. William had tried to follow up on the extra care that the boy required so that they could, if nothing else, eliminate the pair from their enquiries. There had been no reports of any healing carried out on the unknown boy either in the city or beyond. It had been a dead end at the time. Now, it was evidence to support Xerx’s confession.
Ledior snorted. “And you think this unknown man was Xerx? He doesn’t have a son.”
“The son was Finral. He was injured and Xerx needed him healed before they could continue removing the items that they stole.”
For the first time, there was uncertainty in Ledior Vaude’s expression.
Liliane said, “And, if this was true, what does it have to do with us? I’m sure Finral led a good man astray, the same way he was trying to do to Langris.”
“He was thirteen, mother,” Langris said.
“He had a wicked streak. He always resisted being told what to do by his betters.”
Lugner had said the same. ‘The magic trace would tell me if he cast a spell without permission and he learned not to do that. Although it took far longer than you’d have thought to look at him.’
Ledior seemed to have come to a realisation. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully, then he gave a hearty chuckle that made William’s teeth clench. “I’m sure your brother is not the point here,” Ledior said with a glare at Liliane. “I can see that you’re in fact here to warn us about these things that you have found regarding Mr Lugner’s activities. Of course we will be happy to assist in your investigation, Mr Vangeance. And we appreciate you coming to make us aware. We will,” he winked at William, “make all efforts to have things ready when the Watch team arrive.”
William had the almost irresistible urge to hit this man. Hard. Perhaps he had been spending too much time around Yami.
Liliane caught his meaning. “And anything unsavoury that Langris’s brother was involved in, I am sure that it will not reflect on us. I mean, we were simply acting in the boy’s best interest. We knew that he had a flawed character. Even if he was not the one responsible, it would not have been a surprise that he was led astray. And now that he’s dead, there cannot be any fall back on us.” She smiled sweetly at William and wrung her hands.
William wanted to hit them both. Definitely too much time with Yami.
Langris was silent. He watched his parents. Finally, he said, “You won’t even say his name.”
“He’s dead, Langris, dear. You must understand that he never cared for you. He only ever wanted what he could get from your success, and he would have held you back. We were better off without him. Don’t let yourself get worked up.”
The tremble in Langris’s hand had stopped. He was very still and cold.
“Finral is not dead, mother.”
There was a moment of hesitation in the room. Whatever Ledior and Liliane had expected Langris to say it had not been that. Both stared at their son as if they had never seen him before.
Liliane recovered first. She laughed a small, brittle laugh. “Why, Langris. Whatever do you mean?”
“I mean Finral is not dead.”
“But, the body. Xerx took us to the funeral parlour. We saw the body.”
“I told you Xerx Lugner was a thief and a murderer. Don’t you think he could have been a liar too?”
“He said…”
Langris interrupted angrily. “It didn’t look like him. You never even checked. The body was too muscular. The hands were wrong. The skin. He looked nothing like Finral. You just agreed with whatever that man told you to think.”
Ledior stood. He crossed his arms and inflated his chest. His voice deepened as though trying to project some authority. “Now, Langris. I don’t know what has gotten into you. But coming here and upsetting your mother like this over a fairytale is behaviour I cannot condone. All three of us saw your brother’s dead body and…”
“His name is Finral,” Langris said. His voice was low and controlled, but there was such venom in it that Ledior took a small step back without realising.
“Then where is he?” Liliane demanded. “Why isn’t he here to tell us this himself if he’s not dead?”
Langris took a deep breath. “You don’t know what happened to him.”
“He died,” Liliane almost screeched. “Your useless, no good, wastrel of a brother was a drain on this house and this family. The only good thing he ever did was leave. I wanted him out before, but you,” she waved at her husband, “were always saying that you thought he would learn proper spatial magic, even though he was as pathetic at that as he was at everything else. And now you’re saying that he lied about being dead.”
“Finral didn’t lie, mother. Xerx did.”
“Langris,” William said gently. “Mr and Mrs Vaude. Perhaps I can explain?”
Liliane threw herself back into her chair in a fit of melodrama suitable for the stage. “Explain this nonsense? I’d like to hear you try.”
Langris nodded once at William.
“When you were told that your son…” he started.
Liliane interrupted. “He wasn’t my son.”
William acknowledged her, then addressed Ledior, “When you were told that your son was dead, he was in fact rescued from Xerx Lugner’s captivity.”
“It can’t be captivity if he was meant to be there,” Liliane said. “We saw the body.”
This time Ledior waved a hand and growled, “Shut up, woman. This is a squad Captain.” He was beginning to realise that this might mean trouble.
“He was meant to be there,” Langris hissed. “I will remember that you said that.”
William felt his own hackles rise. He had come here hoping that they would be informing the parents of a boy thought dead that he was alive. He had suspected there was going to be some antagonism, but this was worse than he had imagined. Perhaps they should have left it to the Watch. He decided to keep the details sparse. “We believe he was held in appalling conditions, and his magic was used for illicit activities without his permission. We are in the process of investigating.”
“Xerx took his grimoire, father,” Langris said.
“What? Surely, there has been a mistake?”
“No,” William continued. “We don’t believe so. As I say, there will be a full investigation into the situation. We don’t yet have all the details.”
Liliane crossed her arms across her chest. “Well, I for one don’t believe a word of this. Where is Xerx Lugner? I want to talk to him.”
“He is in prison, ma’am. We wanted to come and tell you the news personally.” William had wanted to call it good news, but he did not think that the Vaudes saw it as such.
“And why hasn’t Finral come to tell us himself,” Ledior asked again. “You said he left Xerx’s home when we were told that he was dead. That was months ago. Why are we only hearing about this now?”
“There are… complicating factors.”
Liliane was about to speak, but Ledior said, “Woman. Shut up.” Then, to William, he said, “Mr Vangeance. Do we require legal advice?”
“Yes. That might be prudent.”
Ledior stood. “Very well. We have nothing more to say. Please leave.”
“Of course,” William said.
“But,” Liliane said, “Langris. Langris, you’ll stay. You’ve been injured. We’ll have Martha get your room ready.”
“No.”
“But, dear. Surely…”
“No. I will be leaving. I won’t be coming back here. I will formally renounce my claim on the Vaude name and house. Goodbye mother. Father.”
Ledior was silent, but Liliane threw herself at Langris and grabbed his arm. His balance faltered momentarily, then he steadied himself. He moved away, but she gripped his sleeve. “Please take your hands off me,” he hissed
“But…”
Langris stared at his mother’s hand as if it was poisonous, then pulled his arm free. “Do not touch me. You sent my brother away, and I will never be able to forgive you for that. They hurt him. You did nothing to protect him, and he was a child. Xerx took his grimoire. You gave him to that man, and all the things that happened to him were done with your blessing.”
“But Langris. We did it for you.”
“I know. And maybe, one day, I’ll be able to forgive myself for that. But I will never forgive you. I thought I would hope you would suffer for what you have done, but I’m tired. I don’t care about you enough for even that. I told you what I needed to say. Your son is alive. He suffered, but he won’t anymore because he has friends that will protect him. I will protect him, even if I’m years too late. Goodbye, Mother.”
Finally, Liliane seemed to understand. She raised her hand, but let it drop at the expression on Langris’s face.
“We should leave, William.”
William nodded. He needed to make that report to Julius and add the details of this visit. Langris stumbled as he got the crutches back in position and led William into the corridor. Watching him, William decided that making the report was less urgent than the need to get Langris somewhere to sit before he did irreparable damage to his leg. They let the drawing room door close behind them.
The young woman who had greeted them was standing in the corridor. There were tears running down her face. “Langris. Is what you said true? Finral isn’t dead? You found him.”
Langris nodded and she wrapped her arms around him, then did the same to William. When she pulled herself back and wiped her eyes dry, she asked, “Where is he? Can I see him?”
Langris did not answer, so William said, “Not yet. But soon.”
“Is he well? I heard some of the things you said.”
Again, William had to reply. “He’s in good hands. There will be healing to do, but I’m sure he would want to see you. We will ask.”
“And you said there would be an investigation? I want to help.”
“Of course.”
“But my parents, Martha,” Langris said. He sounded worried. “You know what they will do if you say things…”
She smiled at him and leaned in for another hug. “I’ll pack my bags. You aren’t coming back here, and Ma Mollarn always said she had a room for me when I needed it. I only ever stayed for when you visited. Now, go and put that leg up somewhere, Langris. You look terrible. Mr Vangeance, you will help him?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Thank you,” she said again, then bobbed a small curtsy and hurried away.
Langris went for the door and shoved it open with one of the crutches. He left his family home without a backward glance. The trembling of his hands was back, and the wound on his head that had been healed by the recovery mages was the only colour on his face. William decided that they would go back to the Golden Dawn Headquarters. If Langris insisted on being present when William made his report to Julius, then the Wizard King would have to come to them.
The heavy door slammed shut behind them.
Langris had to manoeuvre the crutches down the stairs, and he was clumsier than he had been on their arrival. William stayed close but did not put out a hand to help for fear of disturbing Langris’s concentration. In hindsight, he wished he had grabbed Langris from the wobble on the top stair.
There was the sound of the door opening again, and William turned towards it. It was Ledior. “Langris,” he shouted. His face was flushed red. “If you walk away, then you are renouncing it all. You’re dead to us. As dead as your brother.”
Langris turned to look at his father too. He said, “Must you be so dramatic, father. If that is what you wish, so be it.” It seemed that all the anger had washed out of him and there was only tiredness left. William never thought he would wish for Langris’s snappish retorts.
“Yes. Dead. Think of your mother. You’ll be leaving all this behind. And for what? Your useless brother who couldn’t even die properly?”
William could not help his own intake of breath. He thought of the young man currently with the Bulls, who had survived torture, the theft of his grimoire and being locked away from all forms of human communication for years. And despite that, he had made friends. He had saved Yami’s transformation mage and Magna. Finral deserved better than this man who had been his father.
So did Langris.
For a moment, Langris’s anger reasserted itself. “You ridiculous man. Of course, I’m going back to my brother. Neither of us will come here again. We found our families. You two will live and die here alone, and I do not care. Never try to contact us again.”
Ledior tried to say something, but his words were an inarticulate shout of anger. Langris did not look away. There was a shiver of mana under the surface, but he kept it under tight control. Perhaps Ledior felt it, because he turned away first, spluttering as he slammed the door behind him.
“Thank God that’s over,” Langris murmured. He turned to continue down the stairs. Perhaps it was confrontation, or the exhaustion, but when he put the crutch down, it was too close to the edge. William did not notice until it was too late.
Langris yelped as the crutch slipped from his grasp and he overbalanced. There were only three more steps until the ground, but it was far enough for him to land clumsily on the injured leg. The yelp was nothing to the yell as the foot contacted the ground and collapsed underneath him.
William jumped down the last stairs to crouch at Langris’s side. The boy was panting heavily and held his leg as he tried to catch his breath.
“Breathe,” William said. Normally he would respect Langris’s personal space, but now he grabbed his shoulders. The boy was shaking badly.
Langris tried to obey, but it was a struggle. There were tears in his eyes. William pushed the crutches out of the way so that he could kneel properly.
“Langris, breathe through it.”
Langris squeezed his eyes closed and tried his best, but the shaking was getting worse.
William took the opportunity to check the leg. He muttered, “Shit,” under his breath as he watched the pants darken with blood. The wounds that had been healed were bleeding again.
“Think something… moved,” Langris whispered between gulping breaths.
“Okay. Give it a minute. There’s no rush.”
“Hurts.”
William tried to hide his concern that Langris was admitting he was in pain. During the journey from the dungeon to the infirmary he had protested that he was fine until he had passed out from the combination of blood loss and the head injury. “Yeah. I think we’re going to have to go back to the infirmary.”
Langris did not answer.
The door opened at the top of the stairs and William cursed internally. Another confrontation with those dreadful people was the last thing they needed. Langris needed to go to the infirmary. He steeled himself to face them.
“Langris,” the young woman, Martha said. She was hurrying down the stairs. She had a packed bag and a travelling coat on. She had been fast.
Liliane Vaude must have followed her. “Martha,” she screeched. “You can’t leave. Come back.”
“Fuck off, stupid old bat,” the young woman yelled back without stopping. She crouched at Langris’s other shoulder. Liliane continued yell, but Martha ignored her with the air of someone who had practice.
“We need to get out of here,” Martha said in a low voice to William, then to Langris, “What did you do?”
“Rock fall,” Langris whispered. His eyes were still squeezed closed, but his breathing had slowed a little. The blood had soaked through the leg of his pants.
“The crutches were to stop him using it too much,” William said. “I guess, this wasn’t exactly doctor’s orders.”
Langris managed to crack one of his eyes open so he could look at William. “Probably. That recovery mage is going to give me grief.”
Langris was right. “We can worry about it when we get there.”
Martha had her grimoire out and cast a spell, “Wind recovery magic – Falcon’s Sanctuary.” Small wind birds gathered around the injured leg and Langris sighed and relaxed against William’s support as they worked. Fortunately, Liliane seemed to have decided that she had said her part and the front door was slammed closed again. William was relieved. He had dealt with enough of Langris’s parents today.
“Wow, Langris,” Marth said when the birds disappeared into the wind. “You really messed that up good. You deserve whatever grief they give you. My spell can’t do much more than keep that fracture from moving more.”
“Feels better,” he murmured. “Tired.”
“My magic does that. It can only use your own reserves, not like those fancy recovery spells in the infirmary. And you,” she poked Langris’s shoulder, “haven’t been looking after yourself.”
“S’pose.” His eyes were closed and he was leaning into William’s shoulder. William cast a small spell to bring out tree branches to immobilise the leg. The darkening blood continued to spread but it had slowed.
“And you’ve got a fever,” Martha said as she lay the back of her hand against Langris’s forehead. “The infirmary has markers just beyond the gate, if you have a communication device, Mr Vangeance.”
William contacted the infirmary as Martha busied about getting Langris upright. The boy tried to help, but Martha’s spell had taken its toll.
The spatial mage on duty agreed to open the portal, so it was just the question of getting Langris there. He had roused enough to object to Martha’s suggestion that between her and William they could carry him to the gate.
“No. No. You are not going to carry me out of here. I’ll walk.”
“You can’t, little Langris.”
He shivered under the jacket that William had wrapped around his shoulders. “Please. I can’t have them see that. Please.”
Martha and William shared a glance. It would have been easier to lift Langris because he was shorter than both of them, and William was realising how underweight Langris had become. But it seemed important to him. Between them, they got him balanced on his uninjured leg and Martha took the crutches. Langris was breathing heavily and leaned into their support but did not complain.
“Tell us if you need to stop,” William said.
Langris nodded. He did not have the breath to spare for words.
The walk to the gate was more of a stumble. Martha and William were doing most of the work. Martha kept muttering quiet encouragement. Langris kept his head down and concentrated on the next hop. Every time his uninjured foot contacted the ground, he winced as the vibrations ran through the injury.
William was surprised that Langris was still upright when they reached the gate. Martha opened it with a puff of her wind magic. There was a sense of being observed, and William glanced back. The Vaudes were watching from the top of the stairs. It was too far to see their expressions.
“They watchin’?” Langris murmured.
“Yes.”
“Okay.” With a burst of energy that William did not think Langris had left, he pulled himself straighter and away from their support. He managed the few steps through the gate leaning only on William’s arm.
William was never so glad to see the portal flare to life. Langris’s energy vanished, and he would have been on the ground if Martha had not grabbed him again.
“Shit,” Langris muttered.
William was unsure if the boy lost consciousness before they stepped through the portal, or if he managed to hold it until they crossed into the warm infirmary atrium.