Page 16 of The Night Prince 3
Aquilan’s anger drained away at Rhalyf’s honest answer. It was too much to take in. It was. He felt the same way and yet…
“Who do you think this powerful Kindreth is?” Declan asked.
“I… I don’t know,” Rhalyf said, his eyes darted to Finley.
Finley sighed and pinched the top of his nose.
Rhalyf raced ahead in response, “I think… you’ll probably believe me mad! I mean we’re going as Elasha said from one smallish thing to war to…”
“Who do you think it is, Rhalyf?” Aquilan put a hand on Rhalyf’s shoulder to steady his friend.
Those intelligent gray eyes rose to his and they were filled with despair. Aquilan almost jerked back from it.
Rhalyf swallowed deeply and his nostrils flared like a frightened horse, but he forced the single word out, “Vex.”
And the name seemed to echo in the hallway. Everyone jerked around and looked over their shoulders as if the Night King would suddenly appear. But according to Rhalyf, he could.
“That’s–that’s insane! Isn’t he dead? Or something?” Elasha asked, one of her hands fluttering up to her throat belying her words.
“No, he is not dead,” Aquilan found himself saying, “I would know.”
He’d said that once before. He had hardly realized that it had left his lips that earlier time. But this time it was spoken with him knowing he was saying it, but unable to stop himself. It was true.
“Why were they killed, Rhalyf? Why would Vex kill them?” Aquilan’s voice was harsh. Cold.
Did he kill my parents the same way? Part of me thought it was impossible, because when it happened they weren’t that far into the Under Dark… were they? I can’t… can’t remember…
“I don’t know.” But Rhalyf wouldn’t meet his eyes again.
But you have an idea. A good idea. But what? Why won’t you say?
“He might have felt he had a reason,” Finley said.
“Or he just slaughtered them for no reason whatsoever,” Aquilan said coldly. “That’s what Kindreth do. They kill for fun, for power, for nothing at all.”
With every word, Rhalyf jerked as if physically hurt by those words.
“That’s not necessarily true!” Finley put a hand on Rhalyf’s shoulder almost protectively. “Maybe some do, but not all. You mustn’t believe all the stories–”
“Your desire to have them seen individually is commendable, Finley. But their whole culture is rife with cruelty,” Aquilan stated chillily.
“You did not seem to think so when you asked me about The Forever Hunt,” Helgrom reminded him.
“No, I…” Aquilan firmed his shoulders. “No, I didn’t. But that a Kindreth comes here and kills… The Night King comes here and kills…”
“Yes, yes, that’s true,” Rhalyf said faintly.
“Rhalyf, you think the Night King is here? In the Pedway?” Elasha’s eyes were huge.
“Dark nice,” Snaglak nodded. “Vex could be here.”
He seemed completely unbothered by the possibility. But the orcs had always allied themselves with the Kindreth. They’d been used as the muscle in many wars. Cannon fodder, some would claim. But Snaglak didn’t seem to have any bad feelings about it.
“Why do you think it’s him?” Declan’s brows were drawn together.
“Well…” Rhalyf lifted a shaking hand to his forehead. Seeing that it was shaking, Rhalyf clenched it into a fist to stop the nervous movement. Aquilan’s alarm rose at this. His best friend almost seemed undone by it all. “It’s all still conjectural, but the magic used on the two dead Aravae was performed expertly. No, no, more than that. It was perfect. Utterly, completely perfect. But you won’t understand what I mean. You’ll think it’s all guessing and maybe I would have agreed with you before, but… no, I don’t. I know.” He raked his hands furiously through his hair then he faced Aquilan head on. There was no shaking any longer. Instead, his best friend looked grim and determined and different. It was almost like he had shed the Rhalyf skin he always wore and was showing Aquilan someone utterly new. Someone more hard edged and afraid. “I am going to ask you to trust me on this, Aquilan. Vex is near. He is watching all of this. We must stop Darcassan before he does something irrevocable.”
Again, questions died on Aquilan’s lips. Questions he should ask. Questions like: how would Rhalyf know it was Kindreth magic used in the deaths? How would he know the power level of the person who cast it? What did he mean by “perfect?” Why did that cause a tremor to go through Aquilan? And why did he believe Vex was nearby and watching them?
