Chapter Text
Rigel stood alone in Magiford park, paused outside of a very present, visible ward.
The large pink monstrosity was semi-translucent and, by Rigel’s best guess, had a diameter of about 50 meters. Rigel twisted one of his artifact daggers between his fingertips as he mused, observing the surrounding area. This was definitely the right place and right time, but the threshold question was, did he want to enter?
The giant half-sphere was bubble gum pink, much to his dissatisfaction, and mostly transparent. It was largely blocked from view by the surrounding forested area. Had he not known to look for something odd, he might have missed it. The hints of pink barely showed through the trees. He could see an uninterrupted dome at the peak and presumed the center of this dense copse of trees must have a small clearing. That is probably where the meet is.
He thought to himself as he idly poked the ward with his dagger. The blade passed through easily, but he did feel some resistance, almost like cellophane packaging. He frowned as his cellphone rang. Pulling it out of his pocket, he looked at the caller. It was Leila’s werewolf Director of Security, Chase Washington, probably checking in since Rigel hadn’t called him yet. Rigel answered the phone.
“Rigel.” He said perfunctorily. “King Rigel,” Chase said smoothly in the background, sounding every bit the calm, cool, and collected man Leila hired him to be. “Are you well?” Rigel could hear a bit of hustle and bustle behind Chase.
He stared at his surroundings and nodded. “Yes…but there is a complication.” He told Chase as he stared at the pink ward before him.
“What?” Chase was instantly on alert.
“Nothing much…” Rigel said, poking the ward with his dagger again. “A ward of some sort.”
“This is a bad idea.” Chase said on his end. Rigel heard a voice call out behind him “One Royal Love Latte!”
“You’re at the coffee shop?” he queried. On the other end of the phone, Chase nodded himself. “Yes. Queen Leila wanted to stop in after the Summit prep meeting at the Cloisters. No issues on our end. Lord Linus is with her. He’s chatting with her and keeping her occupied. I don’t think she suspects anything just yet.”
Rigel nodded. “Good…tell her to be cautious. Just in case.” he said, nudging the edge of the ward with his boot. The tip of his shoe easily passed through, and he felt a deadening numb feeling in his toes, as if covered by a film of insulating magic. He pulled his foot out, and the sensation dissipated. “I think…this ward is supposed to dampen my senses.” Rigel said.
“What makes you think that?” Chase asked over the phone.
“I just tested it.”
“Rigel!” Chase shouted, if one could shout without raising their voice. “Don’t do anything unnecessarily risky. If anything happens, Queen Leila will—”
“It’s fine.” Rigel said in response. “She’d blame me, not you.”
Rigel poked his hand and dagger through the ward. “Aer.”
Activated, his dagger winked with gray magic coursing through the artifact at his direction. The barrier didn’t dull his magic then. Rigel withdrew his weapon from the ward and cut off the spell.
Probably set to level the playing field. he thought to himself, considering the ward.
“It’s nothing I can’t overcome.” He said confidently. Their mistake. The message didn’t say “come unarmed.”
“Be careful, Rigel.” Chase said, a note of warning in his voice.
“King Rigel.” Rigel said and hung up the phone. Not that he cared about the title, but he cared even less for being lectured. Chase would bristle at the dig but he was smart and he’d get over it. He’d understand.
Rigel looked once more at the ward before him and flipped his artifact up and down in his hand. As a precaution, he tried to use a shielding spell just in case, but the magic crackled against the ward and was rebuffed. After a few variations on the spell failed, Rigel frowned.
He suspected, based on the coloration, that the ward would keep all sound from escaping its barrier. It also appeared to limit outside magical interference. It was definitely designed to cut him off from possible assistance.
He paused. If this had been solely about him, he would turn around now. His training had taught him it was unwise to take chances. You only went for the sure kill, when all the opponents’ cards were laid on the table. Pride notwithstanding, he didn’t need to meet with anyone. He could walk away.
But it wasn’t only about him. Someone was after Leila, and today, they would either get information as to who it was, or he could take them out now.
Leila had, much to his displeasure, continued to attract unwanted attention in her role as Queen of the Night Court and now as the fae representative on the Midwest Regional Committee of Magic. She had, in large part, won over the love of her Court. That had stopped the internal attacks against her, which greatly improved her day to day living and ability to enact necessary change for the fae.
However, Leila’s increasing influence and popularity was a double-edged sword. The Night Court was not the strongest court in the Americas largely due to its extensive debts. The last several monarchs had borrowed significant funds to pay for lavish fae affairs and to fund wars and trade battles with the other supernatural communities. Worse, they had lost most of those battles, leaving them both in debt and embarrassed in reputation.
Leila had changed that. After taking over as Queen two years ago, she had ruthlessly sold court assets and properties to the highest bidder to repay the worst of the debts and stabilize their assets in Magiford. More importantly though, her open and demanding dedication to ending the internal conflict and one-upmanship of her court had netted extensive results. The Night Court fae no longer battled bloody against each other for station or favor. Instead, its businesses were working together, fae were attempting to get along, and for the first time in forever, a general sense of hope and happiness rippled throughout the court.
The health this brought to the court was undeniable: the realm itself had transformed from the ghostly husk of a failing state bathed in perpetual night into a thriving paradise with gleaming buildings, rich environments, and sunrises.
The Night Court was still struggling to regain its proper renown, however. Presently, the strongest Court in the U.S. was the Midwest Winter Court, ruled by Queen Rime. As luck would have it though, Queen Rime was a Leila convert, and she had significantly pledged her fealty to Leila’s inferior standing court. Even more significant, Queen Rime had also requested her brothers and sisters—the ruling monarchs of the other American Winter Courts—pledge themselves to Leila as well, and they had agreed.
Not long after their declarations, Queen Verdant from the Midwest Spring Court pledged her own loyalty to Leila, and succeeded in getting several other Spring courts to follow suit. Even the Night Court’s supposed rival, the American Day Court, supported Leila. King Solis and Leila got along swimmingly, and it was his initial recommendation that spring boarded Leila to become the fae representative.
She had less luck with the Midwest Autumn Court, ruled by King Fell, and the Midwest Summer Court, ruled by King Birch. The Fall and Summer courts were stubborn about fae tradition and reputation. Unlike Queen Rime, they had not taken as heartily to Leila’s nontraditional style of rule and fae affairs. They had agreed to submit to Leila as the Fae representative for the region but had made no move to encourage her standing with the other seasonal courts and were slow to adjust to her suggested court changes.
Nor were they inclined to change to begin with. Magiford was the magic capital of the United States, and Fell and Birch held their courts by their sheer power and ability to connive through fae society. King Fell in particular believed that fae needed a ruler they could respect and fear. As the second most powerful ruler in the Midwest Region (just after Rime), he pursued Leila’s initiatives halfheartedly at best. The Autumn and Summer fae still regularly rebuffed and insulted the Night Court. Neither monarch was close to their contemporaries and had made no efforts to reach out to them on Leila’s behalf, nor would their counterparts be inclined to accept their recommendations with favor if they did.
Regardless, it was becoming quite clear that once Leila cleared the Night Court of its outstanding debt, little would stop her from overtaking Queen Rime in the Region. Combined with the Night Court’s unique position as the only American Night Court, and the voluntary subordination of the other fae courts already, Leila would soon be the most influential fae in all of America.
And that made her dangerous.
The recruited Winter and Spring courts aside, Leila’s success had roused the ire of the other fae courts generally. These courts, jealous of Leila’s success, had already made risky and bitter trade moves in attempt to hamstring the Night Court’s finances. Fae monarchs elsewhere, hoping to steal her seat of influence and power, were locked in their own battles for alliances and position. Even some of the overseas courts were known to question if Leila was in fact trying to become appointed as Fae Emperor.
Having that level of power was significant and rare in the fae world. As Fae Emperor, or Empress, Leila would be able to set rules and polices across all courts for the continent, investigate and settle disputes across factions, and compel the fae to act in whatever interest she desired. It would also allow her to levy taxes, demand property or services, and direct her fae to war. Given the significant turmoil and infighting among the fae, Rigel could see indeed why the other courts were threatened. It didn’t matter that Leila had stated she was not interested in the position: the fact that it was actually possible was a threat all on its own. The Paragon, America’s top fae representative across all courts, was openly supporting Leila as a candidate. That only increased the seriousness of Leila’s potential future claim and dialed up the other courts’ concern.
Even the other supernatural communities were taking note. Although Leila was on friendly terms with the Midwest representatives, their communities were not immune to apprehension over her rising star. Rigel had overhead PreDominant Harka and her newly appointed protégé, Greyson discussing how Leila’s improving position might help or hinder the werewolf communities. Hazel, Leila’s wizard friend and Elite in training, was happy as a clam that Leila was finding such resounding success. Her husband, the Eminence Killian Drake, was slightly less enthralled. Killian also liked Leila, who had previously been his neighbor, but his priority was ensuring Vampires had necessary rights and privileges. Vampires were weak to fae magic, and a united and organized fae fighting force posed a potential threat he could not wholly ignore. Each representative had pressures from their own communities to navigate, regardless of how much they supported Leila or her successful improvements to supernatural society.
So, although Leila had finally befriended most of Magiford, the threats against her remained very real, and worse, had been increasing.
Rigel, with Chase and Leila’s indulgent fae father Lord Linus, had already faced down several assassins and plots against her since she was crowned two years ago. Some Leila had learned of, others they kept to themselves until they were resolved. She had enough to deal with between her court, the regional committee, and her voluntarily subjugated courts. Unless it was truly necessary, they minimized how much she was involved, and warned her as needed.
Leila had resisted the change at first, but she couldn’t deny she was sleeping better, and the staff were thrilled she was finally eating from the kitchens at home. She already knew to be security conscious, and Chase handled paperwork as needed. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked.
Most importantly, Leila was the one person Rigel truly loved in this world. She had burrowed her way into his cold heart and brought light into his life. He took her safety personally.
He looked at the obvious trap before him. He made his decision.
No other way than in.
Rigel stepped thorough the barrier and looked around.