The journey back to the manor was somber and tense, the earlier sense of unease now replaced with determination. The group rode in silence, their thoughts heavy with the revelations from the temple. Lysandra's leg throbbed with every jolt of her horse, but she refused to let it slow her down. Her gaze was fixed ahead, her mind replaying the battle with the necromancer and the implications of what they'd uncovered. Alaric rode at the front of the group, his expression unreadable but his grip on the reins tight. He hadn't said much since they left the temple, his focus seemingly locked on the road ahead. Occasionally, his eyes would flick to Lysandra, as if silently checking on her, but he kept his distance.
Roderic broke the silence, his voice low and wary. "This whole thing stinks. A necromancer hiding right under Halvard's nose? Ghouls roaming unchecked? Either he's an idiot, or he's been turning a blind eye."
"Or worse," Lysandra muttered. "What if he's been aiding them?"
Alaric's jaw tightened, his voice colder than usual. "If that's the case, he'll answer for it."
They rode on in tense silence, the manor's high stone walls finally coming into view as the sun dipped below the horizon. The flicker of torches lit the courtyard, casting a warm glow that felt out of place given the circumstances.
As they passed through the gates, the knights and Shadow Blades began to dismount, their movements weary but efficient. Alaric slid off his horse and turned to the nearest knight. "Secure the perimeter. No one enters or leaves without my permission."
The knight saluted sharply and set off to relay the orders, leaving Alaric, Lysandra, and Roderic to make their way toward the manor's entrance. The heavy wooden doors creaked open as they approached, and Lord Halvard stood waiting in the dimly lit foyer, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Your Highness," Halvard said, his voice smooth but laced with something unreadable. "I trust your excursion was… illuminating."
Alaric's eyes narrowed as he stepped forward, his tone icy. "It was. Perhaps more so than you'd hoped."
Halvard's brow furrowed, a faint flicker of annoyance crossing his face. "I'm not sure I follow."
"You didn't think to mention the ancient temple hidden in the forest? Or the necromancer using it to control ghouls?" Lysandra's voice cut through the room like a blade, her sharp tone leaving no room for pleasantries.
Halvard's expression faltered, though he quickly recovered. "A necromancer?" he repeated, his tone incredulous. "Surely you're mistaken. Such creatures are myths, relics of the old wars."
"They're very real," Roderic interjected, his voice heavy with suspicion. "And one of them was using that temple as a base."
Halvard's lips pressed into a thin line, his posture stiffening. "I assure you, Your Highness, I had no knowledge of this. The temple has been abandoned for centuries—nothing more than a ruin."
"Then you've been grossly negligent," Alaric said sharply, his voice firm. "Because whatever was happening there has endangered not just this region but possibly all of Voltaria."
Halvard's face reddened, but he held his composure. "I take the security of my lands very seriously, Your Highness. If I had known—"
"But you didn't," Lysandra interrupted, stepping forward. Her eyes were cold, her voice cutting. "And now people are dead because of it."
Halvard's eyes darted to her, a flash of disdain flickering across his face. "You overstep, mercenary. This is a matter for nobles."
"And I've done more to fix it than you have," she shot back, her voice low and venomous.
Alaric raised a hand, his tone sharp. "Enough." He turned back to Halvard, his expression hard. "I'll need every report you have on the ghouls and any unusual activity in the area over the past year. If you're hiding anything, Lord Halvard, now would be the time to speak."
Halvard hesitated, his jaw tightening before he finally nodded. "Of course, Your Highness. I'll have my steward bring the reports to you immediately."
"See that you do," Alaric said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
As Halvard retreated, Lysandra exchanged a glance with Roderic, her expression still tense. "He's hiding something," she muttered.
"Probably," Roderic agreed, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
Alaric turned to them, his voice quiet but firm. "Rest up. We'll need to sort through those reports as soon as they arrive."
As Lysandra nodded, Alaric turned sharply toward one of the knights standing nearby. "You," he called, his voice steady but commanding. "Prepare a pigeon immediately. I need a message sent to the King."
The knight saluted, his armor clinking softly. "At once, Your Highness."
Alaric's jaw tightened as he formulated the words in his mind. "Make it clear that we've uncovered a necromancer operating within Voltarian borders, using an ancient temple to control ghouls. Include that we suspect this isn't an isolated incident, and that the security of this region is compromised."
The knight nodded briskly. "And should I mention Lord Halvard, Your Highness?"
Alaric hesitated for a fraction of a second, his gaze flicking to the heavy wooden doors that Halvard had just disappeared behind. "No," he said after a moment, his voice measured. "Not yet. We'll gather more evidence first."
The knight saluted again and hurried off, his footsteps echoing down the hall as he went to carry out the prince's orders.
Lysandra, leaning casually against the wall, raised an eyebrow as she watched the exchange. "Reporting to Daddy already?" she said dryly, though her tone lacked its usual bite.
Alaric shot her a pointed look, his expression sharp. "He needs to know. If this necromancer isn't working alone, this could be far bigger than just one region."
She crossed her arms, her gaze thoughtful. "You think your father will send reinforcements?"
"He'll have to," Alaric replied, though his tone suggested he wasn't entirely confident in that outcome. "If this spreads beyond Halvard's lands, it could destabilize the entire region."
Lysandra's eyes narrowed slightly, but she said nothing, though she noted the tension in Alaric's shoulders as he spoke. He was carrying more weight than he was letting on.
"Rest," Alaric repeated, his tone softening slightly as he turned toward Lysandra. "We'll need everyone at their best for what's coming next."
She gave him a faint smirk, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You should take your own advice, Your Highness."
Alaric allowed himself a small, humorless chuckle before turning and heading toward his chambers. "I'll rest when I can," he said over his shoulder. "For now, I have too much to think about."
As he disappeared down the corridor, Lysandra pushed off the wall, her hand brushing against the hilt of her blade. "He's going to burn himself out," she muttered to Roderic.
Roderic nodded, his expression grim. "Maybe. But that's what leaders do. For better or worse."
As Lysandra nodded, Alaric turned sharply toward one of the knights standing nearby. "You," he called, his voice steady but commanding. "Prepare a pigeon immediately. I need a message sent to the King."
The knight saluted, his armor clinking softly. "At once, Your Highness."
Alaric's jaw tightened as he formulated the words in his mind. "Make it clear that we've uncovered a necromancer operating within Voltarian borders, using an ancient temple to control ghouls. Include that we suspect this isn't an isolated incident, and that the security of this region is compromised."
The knight nodded briskly. "And should I mention Lord Halvard, Your Highness?"
Alaric hesitated for a fraction of a second, his gaze flicking to the heavy wooden doors that Halvard had just disappeared behind. "No," he said after a moment, his voice measured. "Not yet. We'll gather more evidence first."
The knight saluted again and hurried off, his footsteps echoing down the hall as he went to carry out the prince's orders.
Lysandra, leaning casually against the wall, raised an eyebrow as she watched the exchange. "Reporting to Daddy already?" she said dryly, though her tone lacked its usual bite.
Alaric shot her a pointed look, his expression sharp. "He needs to know. If this necromancer isn't working alone, this could be far bigger than just one region."
She crossed her arms, her gaze thoughtful. "You think your father will send reinforcements?"
"He'll have to," Alaric replied, though his tone suggested he wasn't entirely confident in that outcome. "If this spreads beyond Halvard's lands, it could destabilize the entire northern border."
Roderic stepped closer, his voice low. "And if the King asks questions about the bastard traveling with us?"
Alaric's jaw clenched slightly, but his gaze didn't waver. "Then I'll handle it. For now, we focus on the immediate threat."
Lysandra's eyes narrowed slightly, but she said nothing, though she noted the tension in Alaric's shoulders as he spoke. He was carrying more weight than he was letting on.
"Rest," Alaric repeated, his tone softening slightly as he turned toward Lysandra. "We'll need everyone at their best."
She gave him a faint smirk, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You should take your own advice, Your Highness."
Alaric allowed himself a small, humorless chuckle before turning and heading toward his chambers. "I'll rest when I can," he said over his shoulder. "For now, I have too much to think about."
As he disappeared down the corridor, Lysandra pushed off the wall, her hand brushing against the hilt of her blade. "He's going to burn himself out," she muttered to Roderic.
Roderic nodded, his expression grim. "Maybe. But that's what leaders do."