.
The room remained quiet, as Celia and Taze glanced at each other.
It was no longer an issue of whether to tell Grand Mage Sidian anything...
They needed the ancient book, and Grand Mage Sidian was a powerful ally that could help.
But now, there was a matter of HOW MUCH to tell him!
~"Should we tell him everything?!"~ Celia asked.
~"No! It's not so easy to accept you've been stuck in a life and death cycle for twenty-six lifetimes!"~ Taze squeezed her hand. "And besides, the Time Spell is..."~
He didn't need to say more... they both understood.
Taze didn't want anyone else knowing what Celia's Ice Magic was capable of. It would either be praised, become a source of fear, or become the target of blind ambition...
Like with Vitav.
In the end, they used Celia's Foresight as a shield!
They explained everything to Grand Mage Sidian, but carefully left out any mention of the time spell or previous lives, making it seem like Celia had 'foreseen' these events.
"So you mean to say," Grand Mage Sidian began. "...that Prince Vitav intends to overthrow his own father?!"
"It's one of his grander plans." Taze explained. "For now, he's after fame and recognition. He will do everything expected of a perfect prince."
"He will insidiously approach anyone aggrieved with the current rule and make promises he can't keep." Celia added. "Soon, he will have their support, and they will never believe him capable of any evil.
"Grand Mage Sidian, I can project my visions for you, if you want to see." Celia offered.
Of course she would be showing him memories, not visions...
Momentarily torn between trust and doubt, Grand Mage Sidian executed the mind-reading spell again.
This time, Celia projected the discussion between King Vien and Lord Scarlett, from her last life, and she even revealed the few fairy spies she had managed to identify back then.
This was followed by visions of how Vitav had arrested her and the entire Scarlett Estate, how he became King and forced her to marry him, and how she had finally died by Novia's hand.
Grand Mage Sidian ended the spell, his head hung in dismay. "Where was the Crown Prince in all this?" He quietly asked.
"He was already gone two years before then..." Celia squeezed Taze's hand. "This year to be exact! Which is why we must act quickly!"
"I won't die so easily." Taze soothed, patting her hand.
Grand Mage Sidian sighed. "I always personally believed Prince Vitav was manipulative..." His irises moved to Taze. "First, he was the perfect brother to you, but he nearly cut you off completely after you became Crown Prince.
"Back then I discarded my worries, because His Majesty hoped he would change... But through the years, Prince Vitav's mouth says one thing, while his body does another.
"I began to... notice subtle shifts in his expressions, or demeanor... The littlest of things! But I never thought he would veer so far off the right path! It's understandable to be a bit envious and competitive... even understandable to be a little manipulative. But joining hands with enemy forces?!!"
"That's not all. He and Lady Flora are likely using dark magic to control the poison within my body." Taze said, and he held up his free hand.
An orb appeared above his palm, hovering in place. The orb itself had a shimmering green surface, but in its center was a stark black wisp which somehow moved like both air and fluid, pulsing slowly.
The room was suddenly filled with an oppressive energy, and Celia and Grand Mage Sidian drew in a breath.
This was surely the poison... It looked and felt like a living corruption.
"I contain it most times, but I can feel an external force pulling the strings whenever it flares out of my control." Taze explained.
He paused, feeling a bit hesitant, but Celia linked her fingers through his, giving a soft squeeze, and he drew strength from the simple act.
"At first, it happened whenever father was visiting..." He continued, "The flame would flare, and I would get a fever which made me fall unconscious for three days. It was clear that someone wanted father to believe I was beyond hope, so they worsened my condition whenever he approached."
"How cruel!" Grand Mage Sidian shook his head.
"Once I figured out their goal, I found the flame and learned to contain it. But I still needed to fool them, so I broke the pattern. Instead of waiting for father's visits, I would weaken the boundary at random times, and then send word that I've worsened.
"This made everyone believe I was already at death's door, and the culprits relaxed... They no longer bother, and only act once in a while."
A dark shadow settled in Celia's mind, as her hatred for Vitav soared higher than ever.
She could recall at least twice in the academy when Taze vanished for a few days, but refused to tell her anything, and she now realized he had been suffering alone...
Meanwhile, Grand Mage Sidian was peering at the strange flame. "Astounding!" He rubbed his chin. "I've never seen such a tiny thing emit such a fearsome energy! Where could it have come from?"
"There's an ancient book of dark magic somewhere within the West Wing. I can sense it, but it's too well guarded." Taze replied.
"Dark magic, you say?" Grand Mage Sidian scratched his beardy chin. "Now that you mention it, I do sense something from that direction which is resonating with this flame... How did you know of this?"
"I- I saw it in another vision." Celia quickly lied. "It's a book with secret spells that can destroy an entire kingdom. But we must find it if we are to cure Taz -. Ahem! The Crown Prince's ailment!" She corrected, her ears reddening.
Taze bit back a smile, but said nothing.
Grand Mage Sidian cast a small spell and a little brown bird appeared. It flapped its wings and fluttered out of the window. Grand Mage Sidian had his eyes shut, and he watched through the eyes of the bird, as it approached the West Wing...
But the bird suddenly exploded, and a startled Grand Mage Sidian suddenly opened his eyes.
"There's something strange and powerful within those towers! My bird shattered once it approached!" He turned to Taze. "You know where this book is?!"
"I've sent numerous butterflies, but they all shatter as well... However, I've managed to sneak in a few times." Taze replied, making the dark flame disappear. "There's a vault buried beneath the floors, within a magic circle.
"The circle was drawn with a rule, most likely tied to Vitav or Lady Flora's will, so I can't step into it... Even an Arch Grand Mage may not be able to break the spell without nearly destroying the entire West Wing."
"Preposterous! Right under His Majesty's nose!" Grand Mage Sidian raged. "They must answer for this! We'll have them bring it out themselves!"
But Celia and Taze shook their heads.
"Prince Vitav is trickier than that." Celia said. "If we accuse them, they will deny everything. They might go as far as denying how the circle got there, and if there's a failsafe, they would rather destroy the book, than admit their crime...
"But we need that book!" Her expression burned with determination. "We must trick them into using it!"
"And then catch them in the act." Taze gave Grand Mage Sidian a pointed look.
Even if he or Celia caught Vitav or Lady Flora in the act, the King might not listen, and they would have to answer too many questions!
But if it were Grand Mage Sidian...
Grand Mage Sidian nodded his understanding. "I can catch them if they dare use the book, and as the Palace Grand Mage, I would also be allowed to handle the book. But how will you trick them into using it?"
"Lady Flora would only act, if Vitav is threatened," Taze began, "...but Vitav himself is careful. He will keep his mother in check, unless..."
"Unless he believes there's no other way!" Celia finished with a grin.
And Taze grinned back, both of them ignoring a confused Grand Mage Sidian.
Taze stood up, bringing Celia with him. "It's time for me to take a step forward!"
.