Mikhailis's smile faded, his expression growing more thoughtful. He looked down at the unconscious men, then back at Elowen.
"They wanted information," he said, his voice quiet but firm. He could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on him.
Elowen's brows furrowed slightly, her golden eyes narrowing as she tried to piece together what had happened. Vyrelda stood tense, her sword ready in her hand, while Lira hovered close to Mikhailis, her face pale but determined.
"Information?" Vyrelda asked, her voice sharp.
"About what?"
Mikhailis let out a small sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked over at Elowen, a knowing glint in his eyes.
"About me. About the stuff I brought from my world." He paused, letting the weight of the words settle in the air.
"There's a leak somewhere in the castle. Someone's feeding them information."
The words hung in the air like a bomb ready to explode. The tension in the room escalated, a collective intake of breath from everyone present. Vyrelda's eyes widened, and her lips tightened into a thin line, her face a mask of fury. Serelith's expression turned dark, her eyes narrowing, while even the usually calm Vaelis looked visibly shaken. Lira's face went pale, her eyes wide in shock, her hands curling into fists, since it's bland to know, that the culprit might be Lira's subordinates.
Elowen, however, remained calm. Her eyes closed for a moment as if considering something, and then she opened them, her gaze meeting Mikhailis's.
"It must be one of the maids," she said, her voice steady.
Mikhailis nodded, a small grimace crossing his face.
"Yeah, you're right," he said quietly.
"I had my suspicions. It's not just the one who tried to poison me. There's someone else—someone feeding information."
Before they could continue, there was a sound—a sharp laugh that echoed through the chamber. The woman who seemed to be the leader of the Technomancers stood there, her eyes gleaming with an arrogant smirk. Her presence was intense, her gaze cold and calculating. She took a step forward, her armor reflecting the flickering lights of the room.
"What are you celebrating for?" she taunted, her voice dripping with contempt.
"Do you forget that you haven't defeated us yet?" She extended her arms, the joints of her armor glowing with a faint purple hue. The armor looked like it was enhanced in every way imaginable—reinforced plates, glowing runes carved into the surfaces, and strange mechanisms humming with energy. Even without Rodion's analysis, Mikhailis could tell that this wasn't going to be an easy fight.
The two men before were pushovers compared to her. He could feel it—she was strong, and the others behind her were similarly equipped. The faint purple energy radiating from their armors seemed like some sort of enchantment, augmenting their strength, speed, and resilience.
He glanced at Vyrelda, who had already taken a step forward, her hand tightening around her sword. But before she could act, Elowen spoke.
"Stand down, Vyrelda. Let me handle this," Elowen said, her voice commanding.
"Cover me, make sure no one else gets through."
Vyrelda hesitated for a moment, her jaw clenching. But then she nodded, stepping back, her eyes never leaving the Technomancers. Serelith and Vaelis also moved into position, forming a protective barrier, their focus entirely on Elowen's safety.
Mikhailis's gaze followed Elowen as she stepped forward, her posture regal and composed. She radiated a quiet strength, and despite the situation, there was something deeply reassuring in the way she moved.
The leader of the Technomancers smirked, her eyes glinting as she activated something on her armor. The energy around her surged, the glow intensifying, and her men followed suit, their armor lighting up in unison.
Elowen, however, remained unfazed. She took a deep breath, her eyes closing for a brief second before she opened them again. A darkness spread beneath her feet, tendrils of black magic creeping along the ground, and Mikhailis's breath caught in his throat.
She was using it—the dark nature magic that originated from her dark elven bloodline.
The black roots burst forth from the ground like serpents, coiling around the Technomancers that tried to advance towards her. They struggled, trying to break free, but the roots held them tight, the thorns digging into their armor.
The leader lunged at Elowen, her enhanced speed catching even Mikhailis by surprise. But Elowen moved with a grace that seemed almost unreal. She sidestepped, her golden eyes locked on her opponent, her sword slashing through the air with elegance with a spin.
The clang of metal filled the room as Elowen's sword met the leader's enhanced gauntlet. Sparks flew, and Elowen pushed forward, her movements fluid and deliberate. She turned, her footwork precise, her blade slicing through the air as if she were dancing. Each strike she made was controlled, calculated, leaving no room for her opponent to counterattack effectively.
The leader, however, was not one to back down easily. She swung her arm, the purple energy surging, aiming for Elowen's head. But Elowen ducked, her hair flowing behind her as she spun around, her sword cutting through the armor of her opponent's side. The leader let out a grunt of pain, her stance faltering for a moment.
In the background, Vyrelda and Serelith were holding off the remaining Technomancers, their movements synchronized, almost like they were anticipating each other's actions.
Vaelis moved with a similar elegance, his strikes powerful, each swing of his sword precise and deadly. Mikhailis found himself watching, entranced by the sight before him. No wonder Vaelis had been one of the potential suitors for Elowen—he moved with the kind of strength that few could match.
The battle continued, and Mikhailis could see Elowen's dark magic spreading—black roots erupting from the ground, catching the Technomancers in their grasp. The leader struggled, her armor glowing brighter as she tried to free herself, but Elowen was relentless. Her magic twisted and turned, wrapping around her opponent's legs, binding her in place.
With a final, powerful strike, Elowen brought her sword down, slicing through the leader's armor. The purple energy flickered, then died, and the leader fell to her knees, her eyes wide with shock as she looked up at Elowen.
Elowen's gaze was calm, her voice steady as she spoke.
"It's over."
The leader let out a strangled gasp, her head bowing as her armor powered down. The room was silent for a moment, the only sound the ragged breathing of the defeated Technomancers. Mikhailis watched as Elowen straightened, her gaze shifting to Vyrelda, Serelith, and Vaelis.
"Secure them," she said simply, her tone leaving no room for argument.
On the other side of the room, Lira stood close to Mikhailis, her eyes darting around, her body tense. She had positioned herself between Mikhailis and the approaching enemies, her hand resting on the dagger at her waist. The chaos of the battle was intense, and even though Mikhailis trusted Elowen and the others, he couldn't help the feeling of worry that gnawed at him.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Mikhailis saw one of the Technomancer soldiers break away from the main fight, making a beeline for them. The soldier's armor glowed with the same purple energy as the others, his eyes fixed on Mikhailis.
Lira saw it too, and before Mikhailis could react, she moved. With surprising agility, she darted forward, her feet barely touching the ground as she launched herself at the soldier. She twisted in mid-air, her leg snapping out in a perfectly executed kick that caught the soldier across the side of his head.
The impact was brutal, and the soldier stumbled, his body crumpling to the ground in a heap, unconscious. Lira landed gracefully, her eyes wide, her breathing heavy as she turned back to Mikhailis.
"Stay behind me," she said, her voice firm. But there was something else there—something softer, a hint of worry in her eyes. She stepped closer, her gaze locking onto his, and for a moment, she looked almost vulnerable.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the noise of the ongoing battle. She reached out, her hand finding his arm, her fingers curling around his sleeve.
Rodion's voice suddenly echoed in Mikhailis's mind, and he couldn't help the small smirk that formed on his lips.
Oh please, Rodion. I have a wife.
Mikhailis glanced down at Lira's hand, then at her face, her flushed cheeks, her eyes filled with sincerity. He gave her a wry smile.
"Well, I guess saving your life does have its perks, huh?" he said, trying to keep his tone light. He saved her out of concern and good will, but he never thought something else would be developing inside her.
He could see the way her eyes softened, the way her grip on his arm tightened slightly.
Lira let out a small laugh, shaking her head. "You're impossible, my lord,"
Rodion's voice chimed in, cutting through the brief silence that followed Lira's quiet laugh.
Mikhailis blinked, momentarily taken aback. He cast a sideways glance at Lira, who was still standing close to him, her hand resting gently on his arm. She was too busy scanning the room for potential threats to notice the mischievous smirk creeping onto his face.
"Rodion," he murmured under his breath.
"I have a wife. You know that, right?"
Mikhailis sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes.
"Very funny. Stick to being an AI, would you?"
Before Mikhailis could retort, the sound of clanking armor filled the room as Vyrelda, Serelith, and Vaelis secured the last of the Technomancers. The culprits were now subdued, tied up, and ready for transport back to the castle for interrogation. Everything seemed to be wrapping up smoothly.
Elowen approached Mikhailis, her face calm, though there was a glint of triumph in her eyes.
"It's done," she said, her voice firm.
"They'll answer for this. Now, we need to find out who leaked the information."
Mikhailis nodded, glancing down at the unconscious men on the floor. His lips twitched into a small, secretive smile as he watched his chimera ant soldiers quietly slip through the cracks in the walls, carrying away the two unconscious Technomancers before anyone else noticed. The soldiers would make good use of them.
"Looks like dinner's sorted for the colony," Mikhailis muttered to himself, his smirk widening.
"They'll have enough to feed on for weeks."
Mikhailis chuckled softly, keeping his voice low. "Hey, it's all about balance, Rodion. They're not going to waste, that's for sure."
With everything under control, the group made their way out of the hideout, heading back to the castle. The tension from earlier had dissipated, and the atmosphere felt lighter as they returned victorious. The captured Technomancers were taken to the dungeon for interrogation, while Elowen and her council began the process of investigating the leak within the castle.
As for Mikhailis, he couldn't shake the lingering thought in the back of his mind. The one who leaked the information… it had to be someone close. Too close for comfort. He exchanged a glance with Elowen as they walked through the castle gates, both of them silently agreeing that they'd get to the bottom of this soon enough.
For Mikhailis, not having to have a political conversation with the saintess is something to be relieved for. And now since he just got kidnapped, Elowen that was worried for him for quite long could get soothed by him in bed for hours, it's an all-win situation.
Sorry, Rodion. But unlike what you thought, I'm quite a faithful man
_____
Mikhailis stirred in his bed, the soft warmth of the sheets comforting him as he slowly woke from a dreamless sleep. His body felt heavy, still exhausted from the day's events. He smiled lazily, feeling a familiar warmth beside him. Without thinking, he leaned over and planted a gentle kiss on the hand resting in his.
"Mmm," he mumbled sleepily, "good morning, love."
But the voice that responded wasn't the soft, serene voice of Elowen.
Instead, it was different—lighter, yet filled with an unexpected boldness.
"Your Highness..." came the soft voice, tinged with a shyness that caught Mikhailis completely off guard. "...kiss me."
His eyes flew open, the lingering sleepiness instantly evaporating. He blinked, staring down in disbelief at the head of black hair resting beside him.
Not silver. Not Elowen.
Black.
His heart skipped a beat, and he swallowed hard, his gaze slowly drifting up to meet her eyes.
"Lira..."