Erador waited in the center chair, arms crossed as he stared at the empty adjacent throne. His eyes drifted closed as the Paradins filled the chairs on either side of him.

  Canes banged against the ground and startled him awake as Cade plopped next to him. His jaw was tense as he stared at his lap. He hated seeing him that way and hoped some good news would help him.

  Erador leaned toward him. “I controlled the lurker bug.”

  A smile broke Cade’s frown. “Keep going. You’ll get better.”

  Nodding, Erador looked at Haven who sat closest to the throne and his positive attitude shifted to pain. Loma blocked his view of her.

  “I came as fast as I could.” She hugged Erador. “Where’s Lord Judgment?”

  “Mikra’s dressing him,” Erador said.

  Eonidas moved from Judgment’s room and took a seat. “He’s almost done.”

  As Jerus and Fedra came in and sat closest to Haven, Erador counted the remaining Paradins including his father. Ten.

  From beside him, Aminria picked all the polish from her nails. Next to her, Dethil appeared like he wasn’t there. Jerus was near the throne on the left, his leg rested over the other, shaking with impatience.

  Hawth came through the archway and plopped next to Haven and Fedra. Heat rushed through Erador’s body. He would punch him, if no one else was here.

  Erador got up. “You're not a Paradin.”

  Aminria tugged his hand. “Erador, it’s fine.”

  “No it’s not. Why not let everyone in! Why not let them know what’s going on. Fuck!” Erador pointed at Yuni behind the throne, filing her nails. “Even a witch is here. At this point, Paradin has lost all meaning.”

  “He’s staying,” Judgment said, between coughs.

  Mikra carried him to his throne and set him on the pillows.

  “He knows enough to be one,” Judgment said. “Now sit.”

  Erador grumbled and took a seat.

  “Sescina’s death is a great loss,” Judgment said. “She had a gentle hand, but not as much as her heart.” He placed his hand on his chest. “Let us honor her with a moment of silence. Our dove will not be forgotten.”

  Erador put his head down, hands cupped in his lap. Sescina was delicate like the wings of a dove. She was there for them no matter how overworked. He twiddled his thumbs as he looked up at the empty spot where Sescina’s banner had once been. Fedra’s sobs cut through his heart as she hugged Mikra.

  “What about your healing?” Erador said in frustration.

  Judgment lowered his hand, seeming unbothered by Erador’s interruption. “Yuni has agreed to help me with crystal magic.”

  Erador let out a loud aggravated sigh. What if this is what Yuni wanted? To have his father alone and when she killed him, she could claim his death was natural. The other Paradins remained silent with lowered heads, breaking from their mourning when Judgment gave the word.

  “It’s been rumored that these last three deaths were caused by New Akthelia.” Judgment's head moved, as if to see who had spread it. “Lorien, the New Akthelian warrior, was seen on the streets the day Pia our Mammoth and Breck our wolf died.”

  “That’s a load of shit.” Jerus stood, his chair scrapped against the floor.

  “Jerus,” Loma scolded.

  Jerus ignored her. “Lorien didn’t come here. It’s a bunch of lies. New Akthelia doesn’t want to bother with us.”

  “They want Lord Judgment,” Eonidas said.

  “Then why don’t they get him? I mean look at him,” Jerus said, swinging his arm toward Judgment. “Why waste time killing us one by one? They could send an army in here and destroy us.” He turned around. “I bet the followers would have no problem handing us over. Our prerogative should be getting Lord Judgment well. Not focusing on lies.”

  “That doesn’t mean we should ignore what has been going on,” Aminria snapped. “Sescina is dead.”

  “If you’re so worried why don’t you jump in the pit.” Jerus licked his teeth. “Haven already tried to do that.”

  Haven looked down, jaw tense. Erador wanted to reach out and let her know she shouldn’t be ashamed. Her past and Lucrethia’s state were valid reasons for her to feel that way.

  Loma rose, her knees cracking. “You say we should focus on Lord Judgment but if we’re gone, who’s going to help him?”

  “Yeh.” Eonidas nodded. “Who’s going to be there to find the ingredients for the spell?”

  “We’ll be here.” Jerus moved to Mikra. “Why can’t you be more like him. He’s quiet, does his job, doesn’t complain.”

  The slight pull on Mikra’s lips indicated that he didn’t want to be involved.

  “Or how about my good son.” Jerus patted Dethil’s shoulder and he flinched. “Hasn’t said a peep cause he knows it’s true.”

  Erador rolled his eyes.

  “Will you shut up?” Lightning flashed at Haven’s fingertips before she concealed it with a fist.

  “Someone is wearing Taurin’s mask,” Dethil said.

  Jerus laughed, uncomfortably and Erador perked up glad to see Dethil believed him.

  Jerus pointed at the archway behind the throne. “If I go up there, I bet the mask is there.”

  When Dethil didn’t respond, Jerus glared at Erador. “It was you, wasn’t it?” He took a step and examined the scars on his face. “You’ve been going crazy, ever since you got those from a lurker.”

  Erador covered them with his hand.

  “Don’t act surprised. We all know it.”

  Erador looked around the room, at the faces that watched him. The people he never told about his attack.

  “It doesn’t make you strong, it shows that you are weak. You couldn’t protect yourself.” Jerus leaned toward him. “Still think you can save us?”

  Erador wiped Jerus’s spit that hit face, anger boiling in his chest.

  Loma touched his arm, but she didn’t help. “Now that is enough, Jerus. We don’t--”

  “If you think he’s crazy, then I am too!” Dethil rolled up his sleeve to show the lurker scar.

  The Paradins whispered.

  Jerus’s lips moved as his angry gaze panned to Erador. “You piece of shit. This was your fault!”

  He swung at Erador who flinched, but the punch never landed. Dethil shoved him down.

  “Leave him alone!”

  Jerus’s eyes widened as he uttered a gasp. Erador couldn’t help but smirk. Dethil finally confronted his father, but instead of seeming relieved, Dethil looked regretful and ran out the front doors. Erador rose to go after him but Loma grabbed his arm. He ripped out of her grasp when Hawth followed him.

  “If you say the mask isn’t there,” Judgment said. “Then check.”

  Mikra left to the grand stairwell, his echoing footsteps dissipating. Then there was nothing but the dark that stared back at Erador. The Paradins waited. The silence weighed on him. He knew that mask was there the day he saw Pia in the infirmary, untouched. His heart spiked when he heard Mikra again. When he emerged through the doorway with the ram mask, Erador’s body felt like it had sunken into the floor.

  Mikra whispered to Judgment. Erador’s face went hot as everyone looked at him and he slipped down in his chair.

  “My son is wrong,” Judgment said. “The mask is still there. Whether it has been used by the person that killed our Paradins, doesn’t matter.”

  Mikra set the mask on the table behind the throne. Some of the Paradins whispered, others said nothing but none of them looked at Erador. His face went hot as he crossed his arms. He drowned out his father’s words about Taurin being dead. He questioned his own memories and those of the cards but he felt them in his pocket. They were real. Cade got his attention with a shoulder touch. Erador couldn’t blame him if he didn’t believe him but at least he tried to make him feel like he wasn’t insane.

  Jerus and Aminria glared at each other.

  “Maybe they know about the healing princess,” Eonidas said, voice lowering as he tapped his fingers together. “They end us now, Judgment can’t get better.”

  “I think he’s right,” Loma said, standing. “That’s a good reason for New Akthelia to want Lord Judgment gone. They don’t want to let him rise and Lucrethia to return.”

  “Why would they play this game then?” Jerus said, sitting.

  “Maybe they’re being careful,” Erador said. “I doubt New Akthelia wants to be known as the kingdom who wiped out a helpless town. It would ruin their reputation.”

  “Oh please,” Jerus said, pushing his back into the cushion. “Everyone would worship them for it.”

  Haven crossed her arms and mumbled under breath. Erador felt the same, frustrated over the arguing and theories. It wasn't helping them.

  Fedra nodded. “This is hypothetical. We don’t know what’s going on. If Lorien’s here, then let him come,” she said, rising. “What do we have to fear? He’s running off vengeance, like a child that hasn’t grown up.”

  “He’s far from any child.” Aminria's eyes widened. “You should’ve seen how he treated us.”

  “What was Lorien like?” Jerus asked, looking at Fedra.

  “Quiet, always quiet.” Fedra walked toward the throne and faced them. “But he followed his orders well. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is trying to avenge his sister’s death and his queen’s.”

  “No one mentioned the Raven,” Cade said. “He killed Emera. It could be him.”

  “We’ve already considered that,” Aminria snapped.

  “Fuck this,” Jerus said, jumping to his feet. “Fuck the Raven. Fuck Gillian.”

  The group continued to argue about New Akthelia and the Raven as Erador covered his ears to drown out the noise. He couldn’t get peace in his own head. Shade darted around the floor, angry they were living somewhere dangerous.

  Loma waved her arms, yelling but it didn’t help. Cade’s jaw tensed and he looked to Erador, pleading for him to make it stop. Dethil and Hawth came in and watched. The noises in Erador’s head and the voices drove irritation through his body as words tried to force from his mouth.

  Mikra shot up from his chair, fists at his side. “Shut the fuck up!”

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  The Paradins quieted and looked to Mikra whose chest heaved.

  “We should work together,” Loma said. “We’ll be in a worse state, if we don’t. We’re sorry Lord,” she said, bowing her head.

  Judgment took in a deep wheezing breath. “We must stay together in this room. We only leave in groups of three or four, if necessary, to avoid a possible murder from occurring.”

  “Then what?” Cade said. “We stay here helpless?”

  “We don’t have a choice with Judgment’s condition,” Mikra said, signing.

  “No,” Cade said. “I’m not going to wait around.”

  “Cade...” Loma said, touching his arm, but he pushed her off.

  “You call yourself Paradins?” Cade used his canes to rise, “Yet you do nothing but fight and complain. How can you find the murderer when you act like this? You’ll just end up killing each other. At one time, I admired the Paradins and I was proud when I became one, but I don’t give a shit anymore. Like Erador said, being a Paradin means nothing.”

  Erador nodded, glad someone understood. There had been too much divide. Erador lowered his head like the rest of the Paradins, realizing he was a part of it. How could he blame them when people were being killed? It was easy to point the finger at people he didn’t like.

  “Cade is right.” Haven rose from her chair. “We need to work together, now more than ever, even if it makes us uncomfortable. We need to find who is doing this and stop them.” She looked to Erador. “At least some of us are already trying.”

  “I’m here for you,” Eonidas said, rubbing Haven’s shoulder. “I’m here for everyone.”

  “Me too,” Fedra said, moving to Haven and hugging her. “I wish you told us how you were feeling.”

  Loma grabbed Haven’s hand. “If I wasn’t having to stay here, I’d tell you to visit me anytime.” She smiled. “I’m not going to lose another Paradin... not another person.”

  The Paradins rose from their chairs and conversed, telling how much they cared for one another. Aminria and Haven were the most awkward but they agreed to make amends. Erador sat back as Shade gave a nudge to move, and as much as he wanted to join them, he couldn’t bring himself too. He had his doubts that this would continue with the way things were going. Someone was lying.

  Erador scanned the room and found Hawth by a pillar. Did he want to distance himself because he was killing them? But as he looked through the Paradins hugging, patting backs, or holding hands, even a genuine person could be a murderer.

  Clapping reverberated through the room as footsteps clacked across the floor. “Isn’t this sweet,” Yuni said, in a condescending tone. “But this isn’t going to save you.”

  The Paradins turned toward her.

  “The brilliant witch has an idea,” Erador said, rising. “Let’s see who she thinks the traitor is?”

  Yuni gave him a sharp look. “Why don’t you tell us your theories?”

  Erador raised his hands. “I never said it was anyone.”

  “But you have to think it could be some over the rest?” Yuni said, scanning through the Paradins. “That’s why you’re sitting alone. You can’t bring yourself to break someone’s little heart.”

  Erador shifted his gaze to the group watching him.

  “Oh wait…” Yuni pressed her hand to her mouth. “It’s because you’re too proud to be wrong.”

  “And you like to pretend that you cared when they died.” Erador scoffed. “I wasn’t the only one sitting out.” He glimpsed back to where Hawth was standing, but he was gone. “Tell me Yuni, if you care about us, then why not help us find the killer?”

  Jerus laughed. “He’s got a point.”

  “It seems the target is the Paradins,” Erador said, stepping closer. “Which places you at no risk.”

  “She’s at risk for being a witch that could heal our Lord,” Fedra said. When Erador glared at her, she raised her hands and stepped back. “I’m not defending her.”

  “How do you propose I find this killer?” Yuni said, folding her arms. “You’re already having trouble.”

  “Pia was murdered with crystal magic,” Erador said. “Her veins exploded. It’s why we never got to see her on the table.”

  Yuni’s emotions slipped for a moment as she appeared frightened but he wasn’t sure if it was for Pia or herself.

  Erador stared down Yuni. “How do you think the Raven got free?”

  “A crystal?” Haven moved from the group and looked to Yuni. “Anyone could get them. I understand why you think it’s Yuni, but it could be someone else. Remember what my people told you.”

  “I know,” he whispered, angrily. “But she could have reasons. She could’ve been hired by New Akthelia.”

  “It’s not her.” Judgment wiped droll from his mouth with a shaky hand.

  “Says an old man with a rotting mind,” Erador said. “You’re reliable, you know that?”

  “I know I am,” Judgment said, seriously, not understanding Erador’s sarcasm. “Why do you think I claimed the place of Judgment?”

  “To be in control,” Erador said.

  Judgment shook his head and touched his chest. “My power lets me see the truth.”

  Erador laughed, but the other Paradins were quiet and he settled into an uncomfortable chuckle. The Paradins appeared confused except for Loma. Shade could sense a presence, but not read minds. Haven talked about seeing a demon in her room at night. Was this the same thing?

  “Then read my mind, father.” Erador stood tall. “Go ahead.”

  Judgment blinked. “You seem to remember when I whipped you. But you forget the blood pooling on my back too.”

  Erador furrowed his brow. “What are you talking about?”

  “Can’t Shade help you remember?”

  Erador recalled the beatings, the anger, and resentment of wanting to push his father down and choke him to death. He remembered the wounds Sescina helped treat, and Loma changing his bandages and giving him sweets. Erador couldn’t remember looking at his father, because he didn’t. He laid on the ground, crying, but he recalled looking back once, to catch his father putting on a robe to cover the tears in his clothing wet with blood.

  Erador swallowed. “It hurts you. Whatever you do to someone, it does the same to you.”

  “What is this?” Cade said. “What is he talking about?”

  The Paradins chimed in with whispers, but none of them knew. Loma appeared like she did.

  “You knew?” Erador said.

  “Yes… but I...” Loma whispered. “Not much else. He told me this being has been an asset but also a burden so great that no one would understand. I tried to ask about it further, but he refused to tell me. He said it would make him too vulnerable if anyone knew and that I should never speak of it.”

  The room went silent as Erador stared into the distance. Was his father being honest? Judgment lied to relate to people, so they would feel understood. As naive as Loma was back then, maybe she fell for it. It would explain why he couldn't say much to her, because it was fake.

  “No.” Erador shook his head. “He’s lying.”

  “How do you think he moves things? With his mind?” She barked out a laugh.

  Erador blinked. “It moves things for him?”

  When Loma nodded, a chill ran through Erador.

  “Telekinesis isn’t real?”

  Loma raised her shoulders. “Not likely.”

  “But Yuni? She made it so you couldn't speak at the festival.”

  “She used a water crystal to force my mouth closed.” Loma gave a wave as if he should’ve known that. “Moisture in our flesh can be manipulated and used to force us to do things we might not want to. It’s more difficult to make us move, but not impossible. The lip sealing though… that one’s not as hard. But it takes practice.”

  Erador hadn’t heard much of body manipulation despite other Paradins having water elements, but he also didn’t train much on purpose and was a Paradin by age eleven.

  Haven stepped forward. “I can’t remember the name but I know of this being. That’s what I saw in my room.”

  “Mine too,” Dethil said. “When I first came here, there was this…”

  “Demon,” Fedra said, shifting forward. “You have the power of Maltibor, the demon king.”

  “Who’s that?” Erador said.

  “A rejected god,” Aminria said. “An abomination to the Seniths.”

  “Was that in the books?” Jerus said. “I don’t remember that in the books?”

  “No,” Fedra said. “It’s banned in every kingdom, church, and library. It spreads by word of mouth, though some books might exist.”

  Erador looked to Amniria. “How do you know this?”

  Aminria fiddled with her bracelet. “I might’ve dabbled in the dark arts.”

  “You did what?” Loma’s shrieks echoed off the ceiling. “What were you thinking?”

  “It was years after my mother died.” Aminria shrugged. “I was lost.”

  “You were trying to speak to her.” Loma pressed her chest. “You’re a foolish girl. Who knows what you could’ve summoned?”

  Erador rolled his eyes. “She was summoning nothing but hope. That’s all we have to hold onto.”

  “We’re on cursed land,” Fedra said, gesturing at the ground.

  Loma nodded. “A Senith priest blessed these lands but Judgment won’t tell you that.”

  “Loma,” Judgment warned.

  “Does it matter now, darling?” Loma said. “Everything’s out, including your being you said you’d never talk about. That was our little secret, but that’s right… you told that to all the girls. Medina and the last Absolution to name some.”

  “Seriously?” Erador scrunched his nose. “You were intimate with Medina?”

  “How do you know about her?” Judgment raised his voice.

  Aminria slipped behind Eonidas, but Erador wasn’t going to tell on her as she only did it to help.

  “We’re moving on from this discussion unless you want more secrets to appear in front of your son,” Loma said.

  “Who is my mother?” Erador stepped toward his father. “According to Loma, it seems you’ve slept with the whole town.”

  “It doesn’t matter who your mother is.” Judgment moved to sit up and Mikra helped him.

  “I think it does.” Loma put her hands on her hips. “He’s old enough to know. You lie and keep too much from him and you expect him to respect you?”

  Judgment didn’t respond.

  Loma took a deep breath and stared at Cade too long it sent Erador on his toes waiting for an answer. “Medina is your mother.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Erador snapped. “That vile woman?”

  Aminria’s body was vibrating and she couldn’t contain her laughter as it spilled out.

  “Shut up, Aminria,” Erador said.

  “You’re so against a woman you have no idea about,” she said.

  “And you do?”

  Aminria shrugged. “She seems nice and…” she said, raising her hand to get a word in before Erador. “She wouldn’t be this old if not for her previous coven.”

  “Your mother is a witch?” Jerus said, and he laughed until he met Yuni’s smirking face.

  “Poor, Erador." Yuni pouted. “It must feel horrible being realted to a witch.”

  How did he feel? Not good that his father kept that from him. As much as he couldn’t stand Medina, he felt bad. She was alone in those woods and Judgment used her and threw her aside. Maybe he did the same to the last Absolution. That’s why she died after all, to help capture the Raven for Lucrethia.

  “Why?” Erador pressed his lips tight. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Judgment lifted a dismissive hand. “I had my reasons.”

  “Reasons,” Erador growled. “You always have reasons.”

  “Sometimes, it’s better if you don’t know.” Judgment coughed and Mikra wiped the blood that dripped on his chin. “Medina is someone you shouldn’t know. I don’t know what kind of person she made you think she is, but she wasn’t motherly.”

  Erador was told that his mother wasn’t a good person, but he always wandered if his father was lying. He dreamed of her treating him with kindness unlike his father. He didn’t want him to look for her.

  Erador looked around the room. “Does anyone else know her?”

  “No one,” Judgment said. “I met Medina a long time ago when I was trying to reclaim Lucrethia. She was a participant in their rituals.”

  “So this Medina tortured, maimed, and killed people?” Fedra said.

  “My mother is a killer,” Erador whispered. “Great…”

  He didn’t need another person to add to his list of suspects.

  Jerus chuckled and Erador glared. “Don’t worry, I won’t be telling anyone a witch is in your blood, not that they’d believe it.”

  “No wonder no one likes Lucrethia.” Dethil frowned. “In Elsgrith, some people still believed they captured people and killed them.”

  “But you still came?” Eonidas said, raising his eyebrows.

  “I knew it was lies,” Jerus said, sitting forward.

  “Those lies kept us protected,” Judgment said. “People didn’t want to come near land that had been used to worship Maltibor. Too many evil acts were performed where we stand. I don’t want anymore. I can assure you that no one in this room is the killer.”

  Erador laughed. “Because your demon tells you?”

  “Yes,” Judgment said.

  “Does it know who’s killing us?” Erador asked.

  “I’m afraid not.”

  The Paradins whispered disappointments and Erador’s heart dipped, though he didn’t believe this being could read minds. The killer could be anyone and as he looked to Yuni, he remembered magic had been used on his shadow to trick him into seeing false images. Could his father’s being be under a similar spell?