Page 38 of The Night Prince 3
“The only Night Elf that could be in Illithor, Aquilan, is Vex,” Rhalyf said. He looked like he was eating glass as he said it. But he got the words out. “No other Night Elves can even find the place. The wards protect it and hide it.”
“But the Leviathan found it,” Darcassan objected.
Aquilan kept staring into Declan’s eyes. Was he waiting for them to turn red? “The wards were to keep the Leviathan out of Earth as well. But they are no longer working properly. Maybe they are not obscuring Illithor’s location from other Night Elves either.”
“No, it’s Vex. It can only be Vex,” Rhalyf said dully. He looked like he was about to walk the plank.
“Has he told you who he is, Declan?” Aquilan asked. “Indicated–”
“No. the only name he’s given me is–is supposedly my own,” Declan admitted and shifted from foot to foot.
“What name did he give you?” Elasha asked.
“Prince Rahven Vaeduzor,” Declan told him, feeling odd and yet right to say the name out loud. The addition of the title was the strangest part.
“Prince?! Oh, well… But no ‘Vex’ in there so… so that’s good!” Elasha smiled hopefully. “Isn’t that good, Uncle?”
“Vaeduzor is Vex’s father’s name,” Helgrom said quietly.
“So he’s Vex’s brother then?” Elasha blinked.
“No,” Rhalyf gritted his teeth. “In Kindreth naming tradition…”
“What, Rhalyf? Tell us,” Aquilan asked.
Rhalyf looked at Aquilan as if the Sun King had asked him to disembowel himself, but he smiled thinly and said, “Vex’s son would have his grandfather’s name as his middle name. So Rahven is his given name. Vaeduzor is the name of his grandfather. The name after that would be his mother’s surname. And finally, his father’s surname. So he gave you two clues, Declan.”
“But not my mother’s name?” Declan asked. “Why not?”
Rhalyf shrugged. “Maybe because he doesn’t want you to know who she is. Maybe he wants her to tell you. I don’t know.”
“Does Vex have a queen? A Night Queen?” Elasha asked.
“No,” Rhalyf said firmly as he sliced a hand through the air. “He shares the throne with no one.”
“Was there anyone he was close to, Rhalyf?” Aquilan asked. He was looking at his best friend with a furrowed brow. He seemed certain that Rhalyf would know this intimate knowledge.
Rhalyf’s shoulders were so tight against his body he looked shrunken, but he answered the question and didn’t try to say he didn’t know. “Vex has a great appetite for sex. Not love. The closest to a real relationship after Ailduin maybe was his involvement with Lady Ashryn Zinsadoral, but that was over long ago.”
“Lady Ashryn?” Declan’s voice rose at her name. He took a step towards Rhalyf. “They were… were lovers?”
His mind flashed back on that memory of her. How loving she had been to him. But, at the same time, she had never claimed to be his mother. She had left him in the not-so-tender clutches of Vulre. Would a mother do that?
Only if she wanted her son to grow up trusting no one and nothing.
“Long ago. Nothing recent… that I know about obviously!” Rhalyf tossed his head back and seemed to suddenly realize he had been talking about Vex with disturbing intimacy. “I truly don’t know! No one knows if Vex loves anyone. If he did that person would be in danger from his many enemies. Think about it!”
“And so would a son,” Helgrom muttered.
“Declan big boss,” Snaglak repeated.
“Are we all really here saying that this–this person is the Night Prince?” Darcassan pointed at Declan. “And he’s lived in our territory and–”
“I was here before you,” Declan practically growled.
Aquilan squeezed his shoulder. “Declan, whoever your parents are doesn’t matter. What does matter is who you are. What we know of you. And what we do know is all good. You are a citizen of the Empire.”
“Do you really believe that, Aquilan?” Rhalyf asked. He didn’t look hopeful. He looked completely blank as he asked it. “Your feelings towards Night Elves… Well, you’ve been quite clear. In the past in any event. Even today.”
